


Runs in the Family

by End_Transmission



Series: Family's What You Make It [1]
Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: AU, Child Death, Friendly animatronics, Gore, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mostly Rated M for Language though, Other stuff I'm probably forgetting - let me know if you see something that needs tagging, PTSD, Rated M for content matter, Sort of an AU anyway, The stuff that always goes with this fandom, Trauma, Violence, scares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-05-15 01:21:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 71,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19285201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/End_Transmission/pseuds/End_Transmission
Summary: Michael Afton practically grew up at Fredbear's Family Diner, and his earliest memories of the place are fond. Three years following his brother's violent death, Mike finds himself hired on as the Night Guard at Fredbear's revamped successor - Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. It seems like an easy step back into a world he knows. What he'll find, however, is that things aren't always the same, once you're looking at them through the eyes of an adult. And unfortunately, Mike has no idea what he's gotten into or what waits for him in the dark.





	1. Jeremy Fitzgerald

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all, and welcome to my shiny new FNAF fanfiction! Just a quick note - this fic's plot is derived from a mixture of accepted canon, my own headcanons, and completely non-canon aspects that I just thought sounded neat. If anything sounds off from what you know to be canon, I almost certainly know that. I'm just taking creative liberties with this story I've decided to craft. One glaring example - I know Jeremy is almost certainly not an Afton kid. But in my 'AU' here, he is. ;) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy! If you do, and you want to check out more about me (or have another place to keep track of this), feel free to check out my Tumblr at http://pyroweasel.tumblr.com

"Jeremy Fitzgerald?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow towards the young man standing in front of him.

"Yes sir," Michael Afton answered, throwing on his best disarming smile. The man in front of him was older than him - probably at least as old as his father, if Mike had to guess. He was heavy set, dressed in nicely pressed clothes, and carrying the air of a practiced businessman. He had a permanent scowl on his face - or at least that was all he was giving Mike. Mike's smile didn't do much for the older man's demeanor, but it did ease the suspicion in his eyes somewhat.

"Name's Jacob, manager" the older man said after a minute, thrusting a hand towards Mike. The younger man took it, exchanging a quick handshake neither wanted to hold for long. Jacob sniffed slightly, eyes raking up and down Mike's form, suspicion back in full force.

"You know this job is eighteen and over only, right? You sure you make the cut?" He asked critically.

Mike just kept smiling. He was lanky and thin - mostly because he spent most of his time these last three years just barely scraping by. He knew he looked young, it didn't much bother him. "Just turned eighteen in July. Don't worry, I'm perfectly legal." He hadn't even needed to lie, for that one.

"Right, well, good then. That's covered." Jacob said, shifting his attention to the small stack of papers in his hand. "Well, the shift's 11:45pm to 6:00am -"

"11:45?" Mike interrupted, frowning slightly at that, "didn't the paper say 12?"

"Trust me kid," Jacob gave him a dry, humorless look, "you'll want to be here at 11:45. It's true, you don't start getting paid until midnight, but I wouldn't plan on arriving that late."

Mike's frown deepened, but he didn't argue more. He was pretty sure that wasn't how jobs were supposed to go - that he was _supposed_ to be paid for any time on the clock. But job hunting had been fruitless for awhile and his fridge was desperate - and likely, he'd have been there around that time anyway.

"That time gonna work for you?" Jacob pressed, when Mike was quiet for a minute.

"Oh, yeah - yeah, that's fine," Mike said.

"Great, then you're hired. Orientation is Sunday, during the day. Ain't a lot to teach you, but you've gotta go through the whole spiel from the restaurant. Most of the job's learning on the - well, job. So Sunday, at 1. Don't be late. First full shift will be Monday at 11:45. Got it?"

"Just like that?" Mike asked, startled. He hadn't even had a proper interview - he'd only been in the restaurant for a total of maybe ten minutes, and in front of Jacob for far less than that. He hadn't even handed the man his resume. He half tried now, but Jacob just scowled down at it.

"You gonna rob the place?" Jacob asked.

"No," Mike answered.

"You a killer, a pedo, or any combination of those things?"

"No!"

"Then don't do drugs in the office, don't fuck with the animatronics, and be here on time. Other than that, I don't give two shits, kid. You're the one desperate enough to work for what I'm offering. You still want the job, you show up to orientation. That's it. Got it?"

"Uh, yeah. Got it."

* * *

 

"Well," Mike said aloud to no one, "that was way easier than I thought." He walked into the small apartment he shared only with himself, plopping his coat on the chair just outside of the entrance hallway. He couldn't help but wonder if that should concern him - a place desperate enough to hire someone without doing much of an interview or background check was probably a place in trouble. Either soon to close down, or else way overdue for some kind of lawsuit.

But Mike needed the money. Besides, it was Freddy's - or at least a revamped version of it. It was almost like an old, familiar… acquaintance. He couldn't say friend, not any more. On one hand, he had fond memories of Fredbear's from when he was a child, even before Jeremy had been born. It'd been a place of escape, where the workers were kind to him, even spoiled him. A good break from the much more tense atmosphere at home and around his father.

On the other hand, the memory of Fredbear's was twisted by what had happened to Jeremy. Jeremy and his accident. _His attack._ Mike sat on the floor in his tiny kitchen with a sudden breath, one hand coming up to cover his face. He hadn't meant to think of it, but now there was no stopping the memories. They were as clear as the day it'd happened - the laughs and jeers of Mike's friends. The same sort of horrible things slipping from his own mouth. The feeling of the trembling, begging little body as he passed Jeremy over to a friend.

The indescribable crunch. The screams. And then the horrid silence.

William, his eyes cold and distant as he informed his oldest son, a week later, that the child hadn't made it. Telling him, but never giving Mike the chance to say he was sorry. Or goodbye. His father hadn't let him anywhere near Jeremy's hospital room. He'd barely tolerated Mike being in their house. It hadn't been long after that when he'd kicked Mike out entirely. Never mind that Mike was only fifteen, that he had nowhere to go. William had given him a lump of cash and a cold shoulder. And Mike hadn't see his father, or little sister, ever since.

Mike pulled his knees to his chest. He felt like he needed to cry - but he'd run out of tears for Jeremy and the rest a long ago. It had been three years since Jeremy had passed away from his injuries. Three years, and the wound still felt as fresh as the day it happened. The pain rolled over Mike in waves, each one a fresh punch to the gut. Crying might have been a relief, might have eased the tightness in his chest. But all he could do was ride the waves of pain.

"I'm sorry, Jeremy," Mike whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry -"

Maybe a shitty job was all he deserved.

* * *

 

Mike's heart was going to burst clean out of his chest, he was sure of it.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria was an excitable place. Kids ran around the multiple rooms, cheering and yelling and screaming. Mike, standing not far in the doors, flinched at the noise. There'd been a few openings for various positions during the day, but he'd avoided them like the plague. It was too busy during the day - there were too many noises and smells and sights. He felt overwhelmed even now, and he'd only been there a minute or two. Besides, the band of animatronics played during the day - watching them sing their songs and move mechanically, even just now, made Mike's chest squeeze tight. _At least,_ he thought, _they didn't keep those yellow things._

He jumped violently when a hand clasped his shoulder - even after three years, the hold was familiar and strong. When the fingers curled, digging into his shoulder slightly, he didn't have to look to know. Although, he turned to look anyway.

Jeremy had been the one to look most like their father, heavier set and with the same sharp face. But Mike shared William's dark hair and deep blue eyes. William had lost weight over the past three years and, in the moment, it was Mike's own image looking back at him. Albeit with an older face, and a few light streaks in his hair. The bent, slightly dirty tag on the man's uniform read 'Dave,' but Mike wasn't fooled. Apparently, using fake names ran in the family. He  supposed he should be more surprised to see his father - especially dressed as a security guard with a fake name. But he could honestly say he wasn't surprised in the least. Seeing William hurt like a slap in the face but, really, Mike should have been prepared for the possibility. After all, Freddy's had always been William Afton's pride and joy.

"I wondered. Jeremy Fitzgerald, huh? That meant to be a joke, Michael?" The older man asked, his voice a quiet hiss. There was something angry deep in his eyes. Mike did his best not to flinch away, although it was incredibly difficult.

"No, dad," Mike answered, his voice small even to his own ears, "more like a - a dedication."

"Using the name of the brother _you_ killed? You never cease to amaze me, Michael." His father's hand slipped from his shoulder, "and not even having the decency to at least warn a man. Do you know what it did to me, to hear that name spoken so casually?" Mike didn't answer, because he didn't trust himself to answer nicely. His father hadn't spoken to him in three years, it hadn't been Mike that cut that contact. Not to mention, he doubted his dad cared as much about Jeremy as it seemed. He also didn't trust that William wouldn't slap him silly right here in the middle of the restaurant. William didn't seem to care for an answer, anyway. He went on. "So, you have taken the night guard shift. I suppose that's a surprise. I thought you'd stay as far away from this place as possible."

Mike opened his mouth to respond, but a few seconds later shut it without a word. He didn't know what to say. How did he explain to his father, who he hadn't seen in three years, the man he'd almost hoped to never see again, that some indescribable _pull_ had urged him to apply for the position. That every red flag so far hadn't scared him away. That yes, even though his memory of the place was tainted, he still felt drawn to its doors. He barely understood it himself and he knew if he tried to explain, his father's words would be mocking and harsh. So instead, Mike shrugged.

William Afton didn't say anything more for a long moment either, studying Mike with those same cold, angry eyes - the only things he'd seen in his father's eyes since Jeremy's accident.

"If you're going to be around, you'd better get in touch with Elizabeth, too. Despite everything, I know she misses you," William said after a long moment. Mike's chest twisted. He wanted to point out that his father was the one who'd forced the two remaining siblings to cut ties - but he wouldn't risk this peace offering. Instead he nodded. Even threw his father a small smile.

It wasn't returned.

"I need to - uhm, I have to get to my orientation," Mike said, "dad, it -"

"I'll show you the way," William interrupted, his hand grabbing once again onto Mike's shoulder in a cold, emotionless hold.

"You don't have -" Mike tried to protest, but cut off at the cold smile his father gave him.

"I'm your father. And this restaurant is dear to me. It's only right."

Mike didn't argue further and let his father guide him deeper into the restaurant, taking in his surroundings as they went.

They approached a small office off the side of the main room. Jacob's, Mike assumed. But before they entered his father paused, tightening his hold on Mike to make him stop as well. Then, William turned the younger man to face him and leaned down slightly, close enough so that he could speak into Mike's ear. Words just for him, and him alone.

"This place will test everything you are, Michael. Your body, your mind, your will. You do not know what you are getting into - but you'd best be prepared for it. If you are not, turn away now and go find another job. I do not relish having to tell Elizabeth that she has lost yet another brother." He straightened again, still looking at Mike. Then, he gave a short nod of his chin towards the office door, turned, and walked away.

Mike watched him go, suddenly feeling very ill at ease.

* * *

 

Freddy's was certainly a different beast at night. It was quiet and still - except for the skittering of what Mike could only assume were rodents in the walls. The floorboards creaked as he entered - closing and locking the door behind him. He moved towards the office Jacob had showed him earlier, but paused in the dining room. After a second of consideration, he drifted off course in order to go stand in front of the stage and look up at the animatronics sitting there - deactivated for the night.

Mike could vaguely remember when Fredbear's had introduced the small band - Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie. But they'd never been especially popular in those days. It was hard to trade them in for the originals, after all - the original, yellow Bonnie and Fredbear had been beloved. At least, up until one of them had cleaved nearly clean through a child's skull. During the day. When the restaurant had been packed with other children and adults. It must have paved the way for management to promote the three newer animatronics as the faces of their brand. That being said, they'd apparently scrapped all of the animatronics from the old place in order to revamp them, because these three were not the ones Mike remembered.

These ones were shiny, with bright eyes and bright smiles and brightly painted bodies that, he supposed, were inviting to children. Their cheeks were round, exaggerated, and colorful. They were also smaller than he remembered any of the older models being - but maybe that was just because he was taller these days. Over all, they weirded him out a little, especially in the dim nighttime lights of the pizzeria. Their bright eyes were a little too bright, and their stillness was unnerving. He didn't particularly like watching them move, but it also seemed wrong for them to be so still and quiet.

"Guess it's just you and me now," Mike told them, "don't worry, I'll keep a good eye on this place." He smiled, despite himself, giving the animatronics one last look over before turning to head to his office. He had only just looked away, missing it when one green eye from the rabbit rotated to look at him.

* * *

 

The office was bigger and more open than Mike had expected. It was, he thought, an over all odd setup. It faced directly into what had to be the biggest hallway in the building. Two vent openings sat to each side of him, no grate covering to be seen. And there were buttons placed above them - he clicked one experimentally, surprised by the sudden light filling the vent to his left. That was an odd place for a light.

He noticed something else on his left side. He reached over and picked it up, moving it around to get a good look. It was an old, emptied out Freddy face. It seemed to be based off of the old model, if he had to guess, because it was missing the rounded cheeks and plastic newness of the current variety. He sat it experimentally against his face - it was almost a perfect fit. Easy to pull back off, but stable as it sat there, too.

"Wonder if someone lost this?" He muttered to himself, taking it off and laying it back where he'd found it. He turned slightly, picking up the other tablet on the desk. It controlled the security cameras, and he flipped curiously through them. There was the stage, with all the animatronics standing just as he'd left them a few minutes ago. The dining hall. Parts and services - he stopped, freezing. In the dim light, he could just make out a Freddy head laying on its side, eyes open and unblinking, almost giving the impression that it was looking right into the camera. It looked old and withered, it's jaw too open, it's fur too patchy. Again, definitely not one of the currently in-use models. But with the look it was giving, Mike was half expecting to see it move. It didn't though, and as Mike's heart calmed back down he looked a bit closer. He wondered if it was a leftover from the first restaurant. It could have been the Freddy Mike remembered. His memory wasn't clear enough to say for sure. He'd never much paid attention to the strange, new robots.

Mike jumped a foot in the air when the phone on the desk suddenly rang - loudly. He stumbled with it, grabbing the receiver and lifting it to his ear. He went to greet whoever was there - but was interrupted before he could.

_"Uh, hello? Hello, hello? Uh, hello and welcome to your new summer job at the new and improved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza."_

"Hello -?" Mike tried to respond, but the voice went on talking. It was a message, he realized, and it must have been set to call through at the start of his shift. With nothing to do but listen, Mike propped the phone against his shoulder and went back to flipping through the cameras. He listened idly as the phone guy spoke of the previous location - _rumors my ass_ \- and all the jumble about Freddy's being safe and blah blah blah. He paused, though, when the man spoke of the animatronics _moving at night._

"They do WHAT?!" Mike exclaimed, quickly switching the camera back to the stage. He tried to bring his breathing back under control - all three were still there, and the man on the phone was still talking. Oh okay, a music box - that only works on one of them? _This place is on crack,_ Mike thought, shifting through the cameras again. And then be found it - the prize room. As the camera switched onto it, the feed began playing a twinkling, soft musical tune. He vaguely recognized it from childhood, and he found it sort of calming. He pressed the button on the screen to wind it, although the alert on the monitor seemed to indicate that it was at full power. Okay. Music box, keep it wound, check. He switched cameras again and, even with the guy still talking in his ear, Mike swore he could still hear that music tinkling faintly down the hall.

And according to the guy on the phone, the strange empty Freddy face wasn't someone's lost item. It was another fail-safe, meant to help protect Mike. Fuck, protect him from what? Roaming animatronics that might try to _stuff him into an empty suit?_ What the hell even was this place, and why hadn't anyone bothered to warn him? A sudden thought occurred to him, and he about damn near threw the nearest item - which probably would have been the phone. His father had talked about this place testing him. This would have been what he meant.

"Thanks a whole fucking lot, dad!" Mike seethed. "Parent of the year award, that's for damn sure!" Piece of cake, the phone guy said, shortly before hanging up. Mike took a deep breath, trying to calm down. It was a bunch of singing animatronic animals. They were machines, and they had the stiff, slow movements to prove it. How much could they move around, really? _Hell, maybe this really will be a piece of cake. Maybe it's a damn prank!_

He switched his camera back to the stage, and the pulse in his ears stuttered when he realized that Bonnie wasn't on it any longer.

* * *

 

He found the rabbit a few times as the night progressed. It liked to stand in the 'party room' and look real close into the camera, the light gleaming off its artificial eyes. On one hand, at least it meant the rabbit was still far from him. On the other, it was the creepiest damn look Mike had ever seen. He knew, without a doubt, that Bonnie would be downright gleeful to get a chance to rip Mike apart.

He flipped the camera quickly over to the prize room and wound the music box back up. He had no idea what, exactly, it was keeping at bay - but he didn't want to find out. Satisfied that the box would hold for awhile longer, he flipped quickly to the stage - Chica and Freddy still there - and then back to a party room. Just in time to see Bonnie's foot slide into the vent.

_The vent?_ Mike thought in alarm. He hadn't even realized there _was_ a vent in that room. He glanced to his left, then to his right. No doubt that vent led right into one of those ones. Which meant Bonnie had finally made a move. The rabbit was coming for Mike. Hands shaking, he began to shove the light buttons down, watching for any sign of blue.

Then, all of a sudden, he saw Bonnie's bright green eye peering from the vent. He slammed a hand over his mouth - choking off a scream. His thoughts raced - one of them was here. In the room with him! What the hell was he supposed to do? His eyes caught the mask on his left and he hurriedly grabbed it and shoved it onto his face. Just in time, too, because shortly after Bonnie climbed up into the room and stood to its full height. The rabbit head turned back and forth, ears on its head twitching. Mike didn't dare to so much as breathe. His heart was pounding as he stared at the animatronic. It skipped a few beats entirely when Bonnie turned its head and looked right back at Mike.

Time stood still, the two caught in a life or death staring match. The lights around them flickered violently, as if in danger of going out entirely. Mike mentally prayed to every being he thought might exist, hoping against hope that the mask really did disguise him. It was all he had, now.

And then, Bonnie left. The lights stabilized as the rabbit turned and marched down the hall, away from the office. Mike just sat there, breaths coming in heavy gasps, now that he felt he could let them out. He left the mask on his head, unwilling to remove the safety device. So it worked. Great. In that case, Mike would just leave it on. He looked around the office, quickly hitting each 'Light' button in succession. Nothing else was there, at the moment. He flipped his cameras around - Bonnie was staring at him again from the dining room. "Just… Stay there," Mike muttered. He moved to flip to another camera, but noticed a small blinking yellow triangle in the corner of the tablet. He frowned, uncertain what it could be. Then it occurred to him - the music box!

He switched over to the prize corner and pressed the little 'wind' button so hard the tip of his finger ached. It was more difficult than it should have been - the mask on his head blocked a lot of his view and made seeing the small button difficult. By the time he managed to slam his finger on it, it had been getting dangerously close to off. He reached up with a trembling hand and slipped the mask from his face. He wanted to keep it on, more than anything. But it blocked chunks of his sight, and he knew it'd prove more dangerous than helpful. But he kept it close, real close, ready to put it on again at the first sign of trouble.

Mike checked the stage. Freddy stood alone. Mike sucked in a breath and began flipping through the cameras, trying to find the wayward chicken.

4 am. Two hours left to go.

* * *

 

A loud screeching tone filled the room and Mike jumped back so hard his chair tumbled to the ground, nearly taking him with it. He looked around in alarm, his eyes finally resting on the blinking red-faced alarm clock. It was six, end of his shift. He moved to the desk and clicked the stage camera and, sure enough, all three animatronics were on it, still and silent. He looked to the prize corner - the music still played, but the little gauge was no longer draining. Just like that, the game seemed to be over.

Mike took a step and immediately grabbed the desk to keep himself up, his legs giving way beneath him. He made them work, letting go of the desk only once he was sure he wouldn't fall. Somehow, he'd managed to survive this place and its rogue animatronics. And, now that he had a second to think, it hadn't been _too_ hard. Terrifying, absolutely. But he'd only had to wait out Bonnie once more, and Chica had never showed up to the office at all. She'd wandered, sure, but never farther than the bathrooms. Freddy had stayed on stage entirely.

_It's a paycheck._

_It's a death wish!_

_No one else will take you._

_Because I'm just fodder here!_

Mike argued back and forth with himself as he left the office. He crept along the wall, staying quiet and slow, just in case six was not, in fact, a magical time of 'no more killer animatronics.' But he could only keep it up for so long. Eventually, his fear got the better of him. Not able to stay in the pizzeria a second longer, he booked it, running as fast as he could for the door. He got there without incident, unable to bring himself to even glance at the animatronics on stage as he left the building entirely.

Later, as he tried to get something like rest, the warring opinions in his head settled on an answer.

He would return for a second shift.


	2. Golden Freddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike finds something new - and someone familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just another quick note about the construct of this story - the timing for what happened where and the times between different restaurants will not be canonical. I had to play around with it, so that this story worked the way I wanted it to.
> 
> Thanks again for reading - I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Mike ripped the fake head off of his face, his breath coming quick and shallow. It'd been Chica this time, she’d been much quicker than Bonnie as she’d crawled out of the left vent. Mike had almost missed her - he’d almost been too late. He’d managed to shove the mask on his face, though, and Chica stared at him for a long moment, just as Bonnie did, until finally she'd all but  _ skipped  _ away down the hall. It was only two in the morning, and already Bonnie had come twice. And then there'd been Chica. Mike's entire body was trembling. Coming back had been a mistake, paycheck be damned. The game wasn't the same, tonight. The stakes were higher, the bots more aggressive. He hadn't expected that - he probably should have.

His hands fumbled at the lights, and his eyes scanned quickly, making sure there was nothing in the room with him. When the lights came up clean - for what felt like the first time that night - he turned his attention to the screen. He was observing - with terror - that the animatronic stage was  _ entirely empty  _ when he noticed the flashing red triangle in the corner of the screen.

Just as he noticed, there was a sudden, violent change in the music he could hear playing down the hall. The music that'd been faint and melodic suddenly became loud and jarring, the song changing entirely. The gentle chords of 'My Grandfather's Clock' became a different, more familiar tune, one that was a thousand times more terrifying - Pop Goes the Weasel.

_ The music box,  _ Mike thought in despair,  _ I let the music box wind down.  _ He'd been so distracted staying hidden from Bonnie and Chica, that he'd forgotten to check the box at all. He flipped the camera to the prize room now, trying desperately to rewind the box, to bring back the twinkling tune from before. It didn't work, and Mike knew this was one jack in the box he didn't want to see open. He didn't know  _ what  _ it was, but the warnings of the man who'd left the messages was enough for Mike to know that it was bad.

The music abruptly stopped entirely. Mike watched the feed in horror as the top of the giant gift box opened. The thing that rose from the box was different than anything else Mike had seen so far, he wasn’t sure if it was an animatronic at all. It's body was barely visible, long and spindly and pitch black. An expressionless, masked face topped the body off, visible in the dimly glinting light. The face moved slowly but fluidly and two pinpoint white eyes, framed with purple tears, looked at the camera. Right at Mike.

And then, almost faster than Mike could see, it leapt from the box and vanished.

Mike screamed, shoving himself back from the desk. His chair toppled back, taking him with it, and he fell to the floor with a pained yell. But he didn't have time to stay down long, winded as he was from the fall. He scrambled to his hands and knees -  _ it was coming for him _ \- and looked desperately for an escape. Or a hiding place. His eyes found the vent on his right. Toy Bonnie could be in there. Hell, knowing this place,  _ anything _ could be in there. The thing from the box might even be traveling through it. But Mike didn't have time. Or options. So he scrambled over into it, turned, and laid on his stomach. He rested his hands on the back of his head and curled his chin inward. As secure as he could possibly make himself, all he could do now was wait.

_ Fruitless,  _ he thought in despair,  _ it'll find me. Or Bonnie will. Why the hell did you come back, Afton? What the hell were you thinking? _

Suddenly, something heavy, warm, and  _ moist  _ was covering his body with its own. Just like that - one second he was alone, and the next he felt as if he were being smothered. He screamed - but the noise was muffled by something heavy covering his mouth. The thing on top of him shifted slightly, although its hand stayed firmly on Mike’s mouth. In tears now, Mike glanced up, and screamed again into the fabric.

A bear - it looked, in the dark vent, like some sort of Freddy model - was looking down at him. Or, at least, Mike thought it was looking at him - it was hard to tell because the eye sockets were black, empty, and lifeless.

_ "Be still, Mikey,"  _ a soft voice spoke, although there was no accompanying echo in the vent. His head, Mike realized, the voice was in his mind.  _ "Be quiet. You are in danger - keep hidden, and I can protect you." _

Mike was sobbing now, tears being absorbed by the furred hand covering his mouth. He was in danger, he thought hysterically, yeah, somehow he'd managed to figure that one out. But what else could he do? He couldn't stop the tears entirely, or the shaking, but between the bear's mass covering him like a blanket, and it's hand blocking the worst of his sobs, the vent was quiet.

He only hoped the bear creature would kill him quickly.

But it didn't. Instead, it moved more, it's body crawling over Mike's like a limp wet rug. Then it settled fully against him. It may have looked like a Freddy, but it was clearly something different - Mike was pretty sure if a real animatronic laid on him, he'd be squished. This, however, was like an extremely uncomfortable, heavy blanket, squelching down until it was filling in the spaces between Mike and the vent walls.

Aged and faded gold filled his vision, and he realized that the bear was laying his head down in front of Mike, blocking him from view entirely. Anyone - or anything - that looked into the vent from the office would only see the bear creature. Mike realized what was happening with a start - The strange gold bear was  _ hiding  _ him.

For what felt like forever, but was likely only a minute or two, they laid there. It was insanely uncomfortable - the giant bear was limp, oddly warm, and above all so damp. He could feel the moisture seeping into his clothes. Even the air around them was damp, now. Of course, that could just be the result of Mike hyperventilating. Over all though, it was hard to get too caught up in the discomfort. The panic was too thick, his heart pumping a thousand miles a minute. He'd take hours trapped under a gross, oversized teddy bear if it meant not getting ripped apart by the puppet thing.

His heart stopped completely for a second when he heard a sudden, furious hissing sound. He flinched, found himself trying to move closer still to the bear, though that was hardly possible. He couldn't see what was making the noise, but he could guess. Had that strange puppet thing found them? Did it know he was hiding? Was this all a trap? Was the bear just holding him there, so the puppet could finish the job?

_ "He is not yours to have,"  _ Mike jumped violently when that voice - the bear's, he'd realized - spoke again. He felt its grip around his face tighten, just slightly. It wasn't aggressive or threatening, in fact It almost seemed as if the bear were trying to soothe him. A small part of Mike appreciated the gesture, although it didn't actually do anything to calm him.

Another angry hiss echoed through the vent, and Mike shivered.

_ "His crimes are not this one's. Leave him be. I will not let you have him." _

Another hiss. The puppet thing, apparently, was not content to obey the bear.

But all at once there was a screeching ring throughout the office. An alarm, he realized. The desk alarm. It was 6 am. It was six, already? Hadn't it only just been slightly after two? There was a spider-like scuttling sound among the alarm rings, and Mike thought it must have been the strange puppet creature fleeing the office. It seemed that whatever hold the time constraints had on the animatronics applied to the puppet creature as well. That was good to know.

Suddenly, the bear began to move. Mike went stiff and still as it crawled around him, moving out of the vent, pushing itself forward with undulations like a giant serpent. As it left the vent it plopped onto the office floor in a pile and, somehow, ended up in a sitting, slouched position. It was staring ahead, towards the desk, and it stopped moving. In the slightly better light of the office, Mike could see that it was, in fact, a golden bear. A very familiar golden bear, in fact, though the last time Mike had seen it, it had been standing on stage, creaking as it tried to perform around the bleeding body in its mouth. He grimaced and shoved the thought away. It was not the time for remembering.

_ "She is gone now, Mikey,"  _ the voice spoke to Mike again, breaking him away from his thoughts,  _ "for the moment, you are safe. The others will rest now, too.  _ **_She_ ** _ is still restless, however. Do not let the music box die again. Come now, out from the vent." _

Mike moved, even though part of him wanted to curl up in the vent and hide forever. But the voice - the bear - was right. The same had happened yesterday. At 6 am, whatever programming controlled the animatronics pulled them back to their stage.

He wasn't as sure about the puppet, he'd have to take the bear's word for it.

"That w-won't be a problem," Mike said, his voice stuttering. He felt like jelly, pulling himself out of the vent. Every muscle and bone ached and trembled. As he stood, shakily, he reached up and touched his face. He was still crying.

"Cause there's no way in hell I'm coming back here. I shouldn't have even come back tonight. But after that? No way,” he continued.

_ "Mikey…"  _ the voice said,  _ "you are needed here. I need you. There's no one better suited for the job. Do not give up, not yet. Look at how well you've done so far!" _

"I almost died," Mike shot back, his voice breaking as it rose in a hysterical pitch. He realized he was trembling again. Or was it that he'd never stopped? "If not for you I would have. I guess that means I owe you but, please, don’t ask that of me. I can’t do this again."

_ "I've nothing else to ask,"  _ was the response. The voice paused for a long moment.  _ "I didn't help you to call in a favor, though. I can't blame you for not wanting to come back. But please, at least consider it. You could do a lot of good here." _

Mike didn't respond - he couldn't. And it wouldn't have mattered, because before he could even consider what to say, the golden bear - who had felt so solid when it had him pinned - vanished, as if nothing but a ghost.

Mike didn't bother with trying to sneak out. He all but fled the restaurant. 

* * *

 

_ "Your brother is such a little crybaby!" Adam said, his sneer apparent, even beneath the Bonnie mask. "and this 'birthday party' is lame as hell. This place isn't even cool anymore, and these snots running around are annoying the hell out of me." _

_ "My dad helped make this place," Mike grumbled, "we do most parties here." Not for him, of course, he added bitterly to himself. He hadn't ever had a party - at Fredbear's or otherwise. But Jeremy, oh, Jeremy got to have a party. Got to have the place all gussied up for him. _

_ Mike's brat of a brother didn't even like Fredbear’s. _

Your father knows that,  _ his conscious tried to whisper to him,  _ this isn’t for Jeremy at all. It’s just so your dad can show off. It isn’t Jeremy’s fault.  _ But Mike ignored the words his own mind told him. Maybe it wasn’t Jeremy’s fault, but Mike couldn’t very well tell his dad off. Maybe if Jeremy would just grow a spine, he wouldn’t have to worry about being bullied. Or being forced to come to Fredbear’s, even though he hated the animatronics. _

_ Maybe it wasn’t Jeremy’s fault, but Mike didn’t care. He teased (bullied) Jeremy at home, and he teased (bullied) him here. At Fazbear's, he always wore the Foxy head, because he knew how much Jeremy feared it. He could only wear it at home when their dad wasn't around, but he did it as often as he could. And, now, he joined in with his friends as they bullied his little brother, pulling the child out from the table he’d been hiding under. The brat was already a sniveling mess, before they'd even said anything to him. His sobs only urged them on. Made Mike feel furious. _

_ After all, Mike had thought, the world's not fair. No one cares if you cry. Better Jeremy learn that now. _

_ He had felt a nudge of something, when they'd hefted Jeremy up in their arms. Something that was telling him this was a bad idea. A whisper of his father's voice, warning the kids to keep a distance from the animatronics, at all times. _

_ "They have all sorts of moving parts," William had told all of them, at one time or another, "they'll cleave your finger clean off. And I'm not dragging you to a hospital, if it happens!" _

_ Mike would spend years - in fact, he would spend his whole life - wishing he'd paid more attention. That he'd treated Jeremy better, realized he was as much a victim of neglect as Mike himself. That, if nothing else, he had heeded the one parental warning William had ever bothered to give them. _

_ He sees his hands passing off Jeremy to his taller friend, as though watching from a distance. He watches as Jeremy screams and begs to be let go. Watches as the golden Fredbear suddenly bites down, a horrendous and indescribable crunch sounding throughout the entire restaurant. There's blood - it drips down the front of the ursine animatronic in rivlets. Jeremy screams - but the scream is cut short. That’s almost worse than the sound itself. Mike wants to scream too, but can only watch, eyes transfixed, mouth hanging open. _

"Jeremy," Mike whispered as the dream released him and he slowly came awake. He opened his eyes to look at the ceiling, bile resting in his throat. Unable to stop himself, he turned in bed and vomited onto the floor.

This wasn’t a new scenario. He dreamt of Jeremy - of the day his death warrant had been signed - often. Most nights, even. The images of his brother being crushed to death in the mouth of a giant animatronic were not easily forgotten. Mike finished being sick and rested his cheek against the cool sheet beneath him. Through the pounding headache and renewed heartbreak, something about the dream bugged Mike. Something he just couldn't quite put his finger on -

_ "Please, Mikey please. Please don't do this."  _ his brother had begged. Had sobbed and pleaded for his older brother to save him, even as Mike's friend had shoved Jeremy's head into the maw of the golden bear.

The golden bear. Mike shot straight up, mouth hanging slightly open. That was right, he realized. The bear that'd bitten Jeremy had been golden. He'd even recognized it the night before, but he hadn't made the final connection until just this moment in time. But now that he'd thought it, he was certain it was the truth.

"Jeremy," Mike whispered again, in sudden understanding. Jeremy and the golden bear that'd saved his life were one in the same. 

* * *

 

Mike's hands shook violently as he pulled the camera feed up. Despite every instinct in him screaming not to, he'd come back for a third night. Not because he wanted to. Not for the money. But because he had to know. Because if that strange gold bear really was Jeremy, then Mike had things he needed to say. Because it meant that he'd have a chance to speak with Jeremy again.

Still, sitting in the chair again reminded Mike just what he was doing. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. Embarrassingly, he felt the prick of tears in his eyes again, even though he hadn't even seen any of the animatronics move yet. He'd never been much of a crier - but apparently the constant threat of death at the hands of aggressive machine animals turned him into a blubbering mess.

Jeremy must love that, he mused darkly.

Mike jumped violently and slammed his eyes closed when there was a sudden force against his back. His mind had wandered - something had gotten in! He was dead, so dead, any second whatever it was would rip him limb from limb - Mike's racing thoughts screeched to a halt when he realized he recognized the heavy, humid blanket-like feeling covering his shoulders.

The golden bear.

He should be more afraid of it - he should be skeptical of the  _ story  _ he'd crafted in his head. But realizing that it was the golden bear made Mike feel instant relief. Even if, somehow, he was wrong about the bear's identity, he doubted it would have gone through all the trouble of helping him just to kill him the very next night.

_ "Mikey, you came back,"  _ the bear said, the words still being blasted directly into Mike's mind. Mike tried to respond, but all he did was flap his mouth a bit, no words managing to come out. His throat was stuck, his voice box catching painfully. He coughed slightly, trying to clear it. Failed, so he tried again before, finally, the words came.

"Jeremy?" he asked, his voice a croaked whisper, even to his own ears.

_ "So you figured it out,"  _ the bear - Jeremy said -  _ "yes, it's me. Jeremy. Well. It's a part of me, anyway. I am…"  _ the bear paused and Mike waited.  _ "Jeremy's spirit came to me, once he'd finally passed. I do not have every memory of his, I do not have all of his emotions or humanity. But I remember what is important. I am Jeremy’s anger, and I am his sorrow. But perhaps most importantly, I know who you are, Mikey. And I know your greatest regret." _

The tears fell quickly now, hot and heavy.

"Jeremy," Mike said, the words falling out, "I'm.. I'm so sorry. It's nothing, I know, it means nothing but, fuck Jeremy, I can't even say -"

_ "I know." _ The bear's voice was soft in his mind as it interrupted.  _ "I know you are sorry. Truly, sorry. Jeremy has forgiven you, Mikey. He does not hold this against you." _

Mike didn't know what to say, only that he should say  _ something.  _ But before he could, the bear's gentle presence bared down on him.

_ "We do not have the time I wished we did, my brother,"  _ he continued,  _ "the animatronics are moving now. You must focus and survive. The toys - they are broken, both body and mind. They are rage incarnate, the only part of the spirits that exist in them. Do not let them get you - there will be no mercy." _

Mike could have guessed that. Then he caught himself. Only the toys? He had yet to see any of the old, broken down animatronics do anything but sit in the parts and services area. That being said, he hadn't felt comfortable assuming they'd never move. Last night, the guy on the phone had all but  _ said  _ they would.

_ "Uh, those older ones shouldn't be able to walk around, but if they do, the whole Freddy head trick should work on them too, so, whatever,"  _ the phone guy had said. Whatever was right. Mike could read between the lines. So if they could move, but Jeremy hadn't specifically mentioned them, what did that mean?

"The others?" Mike asked as he lifted the tablet that connected him to the camera feeds. Bonnie and Chica - the toys - were already off the stage. Freddy wouldn't be far behind, Mike assumed. Mike felt the warmth on his shoulders lift, drifting away as Jeremy answered Mike's question.

_ "They are hurt and angry, too. But, they may not be - unreasonable." _

Jeremy was gone. Mike took a deep breath, trying to focus on the grueling task ahead of him. It would be harder still tonight, he was sure. He muttered a mantra to himself. Don't let the music box wind down. Don't let the animatronics in. If you do, definitely  **don't** let the toy animatronics get in. Mask close. Hands ready to press the lights.

His heart was set to beat out of chest. He knew without it being said that Jeremy could - maybe would, although his brother didn't seem vengeful - only protect him from so much. But just knowing that his brother was rooting for him, that Jeremy was  _ near _ , made him feel marginally better.

The hands holding the camera were still shaking like mad. Panic still gripped him like a vice. He did not forget that one mess up was all it would take to send him to the grave. He didn't like this, he didn't feel well, adrenaline was still coursing through his veins like fire. But there was something new there, too. A small spark of confidence. If Jeremy, after what Mike had done to him, could believe in Mike. Then he could damn well have some faith in himself, too.

Mike was the night guard now.  _ He could do this. _

* * *

 

 

It was difficult - even more difficult, still, then the past two shifts, just as he'd expected. By the end of the night, Mike was panting and sweaty, more awake than he’d ever been in his life. He’d seen a few new animatronics that night. Toy Freddy had wandered into the hallway ahead of him for the first time, and he’d had to flash the old, withered form of Foxy away a few times. And once, terrifyingly, he’d been beset upon by a large, faceless purple animatronic. It had nearly grabbed onto him before he’d manage to slam the mask onto his face. It was only after the hulking form had wandered away that Mike had realized it was a Bonnie model. An old, pulled apart Bonnie model, the one he'd seen sitting slouched in the parts and services area. When next he'd had a chance, Mike had taken a look at that camera. The Freddy that had always been staring at him was gone, on the move as well.

But, the old bear never wandered close enough to the office for Mike to see. And, in the end, he'd been startled out of his concentration by the blaring alarm clock. And he'd smiled. Okay, sure, it might have been partly hysteria, but for once it wasn't that entirely. Mike had survived yet another night in the shifting hellscape at Freddy's.

As he'd left that night, he'd felt the ghost of a presence. It wasn't visible, nor was it apparently solid enough to talk. But Mike knew it was Jeremy, and he knew the question the quiet spirit was asking him. Mike paused and looked towards the ceiling, another small smile curling his lips.

"See you tomorrow, Jeremy."


	3. Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As things at Mike's job heat up, some unwelcome visitors wander into the restaurant.

Although it was often on his T.V, Mike didn't usually pay much attention to the local news. It was just something to play in the background while he got ready for his day. These days, it was a soothing part of his before-shift ritual. It provided something to idly watch while he chugged a cup of coffee and tried to ease the trembling that shook his hands.

As usual, that's what he was up to tonight. He was sitting on the end of his ratty chaise lounge, a comfortably warm cup of coffee cupped in his hands. The smell was enticing, and he took a sip with a soft exhale of pleasure. Just a moment for drinking coffee and relaxing.  _ Don't think about work,  _ he told himself,  _ just don't.  _ In an effort to distract himself from quickly gathering thoughts, Mike glanced at the T.V, then blinked and looked a bit closer.

They were talking about Freddy's. Mike quickly grabbed for the remote and turned the volume on the T.V. up.

"There's been no word on what, if anything, they have found so far in their investigation. However, there is some speculation that maybe the rumors of the popular Pizzeria chain being somehow involved in the missing children cases are not just rumors after all. We are following this story closely - stay tuned for more updates as they become available."

_ Missing children?  _ Mike thought to himself. Undoubtedly, these rumors were the same one his helpful phone-guide had mentioned the night before. People thought, what, that the children had gone missing in the pizzeria itself? That the place was somehow responsible?

"I'm a security guard," Mike muttered to himself, "I'd know." And he was sure it was true. If there was some crazy cover-up, or kids hidden somewhere in the pizzeria, he'd have to know. If absolutely nothing else, wouldn't his brother have mentioned it? Or maybe even his father? Well, no, probably not that. William wouldn't have bothered to reach out to his last living son just to tell him something like that.

Mike shook his head. Rumors. People looking for other people to blame. Just as his coworker had said. Still…

He ran a finger along the rim of the coffee cup. There'd been rumors surrounding Fredbear's and Freddy's for a couple of years now. Those rumors had been part of the reason for Fredbear's shutdown - although the child-munching robot hadn't helped matters either. Mike could see it made a strange sort of sense. Animatronics were always kind of freaky, especially as you got older. A place with a bunch of them was ripe for the rumor mill. Stories about foul-smelling animatronics didn’t help either. He'd heard that rumor a couple of times - his friends had even got hooked on that one. But surely his own father would have known, would have told him, if there were bodies of children stuffed inside the animatronic suits.

They didn't have a good relationship, no, but that seemed like a  _ big  _ thing to withhold.  _ Then again,  _ Mike thought,  _ so does killer animatronics.  _ And that was what was catching him up, really. Freddy's was full of angry, killer animatronics. Jeremy had even said that the toys were rage incarnate - Mike paused. He'd called it 'the only part of the spirits left in them.' Mike's heart gave a hard thud.

The truth was, he hadn't really given it a lot of thought. Part of him hadn't wanted to. But, what would Jeremy be, if not a spirit? And it made sense that one spirit would be drawn to a place with many other spirits. It made even more sense that it'd be attracted to other  _ child  _ spirits. And if the animatronics were haunted by child spirits, how on earth had those spirits got there?

Mike wasn't a paranormal expert. Up until this job, he probably would have said he didn't believe in that stuff at all. All he had to base any of this off of was stuff he'd seen in stories. But he just couldn't imagine why ghosts would haunt Freddy's, unless they were somehow connected to it.

"This is above my pay grade," Mike growled suddenly, turning the T.V off. Thinking about all of this was making him anxious, and that in turn was making him angry.  _ He  _ hadn't killed anyone, and he didn't have any intention to. All he wanted to do was get through his damn shifts night after night. It didn't matter  _ why  _ the animatronics were assholes, just that they were. There was no point in worrying about rumors and hearsay, he had plenty enough to worry about otherwise.

Mike chugged the rest of his coffee, not even wincing at the burn, and got to his feet to finish getting ready for the evening. 

* * *

 

"Still here?"

Mike startled violently at the sudden voice. As he'd unlocked the door to Freddy's and headed in, Mike had been lost in thought. Mostly he'd been thinking about his upcoming shift, going over the pattern in his head, wondering what fresh new horrors the animatronics would have in store for him tonight. He could honestly say, though, that he hadn't expected to find his father leaning casually against one of the dining room tables, as if it weren't at all strange that he was hanging out - alone - in the restaurant late at night.

"Dad?" Mike asked, "what're you doing here? It's late."

"I wanted to see it with my own eyes. You're actually here, still whole, still standing. Can't decide if you're braver or stupider than I thought, but I'll admit, I find myself impressed all the same."

Mike glanced down at his watch - 11:45 on the dot. There was time - he always left himself time - but it was dwindling quick.

"I'm not an idiot," William said, and Mike looked at him in time to catch an eye roll,"I'll be out of here, and you'll be safely tucked into your office, long before those pests wake up."

"So you do know!" Mike exclaimed accusingly, the words exploding from him, as if they’d just been waiting for the right trigger, "you know about all of this? And you didn't say anything beyond that vague fortune cookie shit?!"

"Only an idiot would let those brats get him on night one," William said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "and I was certain you'd quit after the first night. And, of course, you obviously didn't need the warning after that."

"They could have killed me," Mike seethed, "before I even knew what was happening. You should have warned me. You should have  _ stopped  _ me, dammit! What kind of father lets their kid wander into that kind of danger completely unaware?"

William didn't respond, just looked at Mike with an eyebrow slightly raised. Mike looked back, waiting for  _ some  _ kind of explanation. They stared at each other for a moment, before William's face melted into a wry smile. 

"I'm here to offer you some fatherly advice," William said, ignoring Mike's outburst entirely, "do us all a favor and take matters into your own hands. Fight back. Those brats won't be able to come after you if you break them down into pieces."

"Attack the killer robots? That's your grand piece of advice?" Mike asked. Had his father lost his mind?

"I left a crowbar in your office," William continued, "I doubt it'd be as hard as you think." He paused, both men stiffening where they stood. Down the hall, the softest notes of music had begun to play. William glanced in the direction, and his face was a vicious sneer when he looked at Mike again.

"I'd start with that damn puppet. Good luck, Michael. You're going to need it."

He left hastily, and Mike watched him go in bemusement. He didn't have any idea what to say - but it didn't matter, because William was gone long before he would have been able to say anything anyway. His father hadn't answered him - and even though that wasn't unexpected, it still stung a bit. He had learned long ago that he and his siblings were little more than decorative trophies for his father, but some small part of him always held on to the hope that he still meant something to the man.

But he couldn't possibly, if William looked at the possibility of him dying and simply shrugged.

Mike glanced at his watch. 11:54. He didn't have any more time to waste, it was time to get to work.  _ Put him out of your mind. He's already stopped thinking of you.  _ Mike did his best to do just that, focusing instead on the night ahead of him. He glanced very briefly towards the stage - saw at least one set of eyes peering in his direction - and then booked it for his office.

Once he got there, he saw that there was, in fact, a crowbar sitting across the bars of his chair. Mike took one look at it, then picked it up and set it aside. HIs father might know about the killer animatronics, but he clearly didn’t know them well enough. Mike would be flattened before he got close enough to use the crowbar. Even if he somehow managed it, he wouldn’t even know where to start - and his hesitation would probably get him killed. No, his father’s idea was maybe the stupidest he’d ever heard. Besides, if he was going to go through this hell, the least he could do was get a paycheck for it. Messing with even one of the animatronics would probably make every hour he'd worked so far null and void.

_ Thanks a lot for the idea, Dad.  _ Mike thought, then snapped at himself. “Stop thinking about it,” he growled out loud, “sit here and focus. It’s only going to be worse tonight.” He grabbed up his tablet, and glanced at his hands. His heart was still racing, and there was still a minor tremor in his fingers. But it was better tonight. After all, he’d lived this long, hadn’t he? And he had no intention of letting his streak run dry now. He grit his teeth and braced himself, picking up his flashlight and shining it down the hallway.

“Come and try it.”

* * *

 

They definitely came and they definitely tried it. The animatronics were more active that night then ever, almost every one showing its face near the office at least once. On top of that, they’d started coming in pairs - Toy Freddy hung out in the hall for a long time, even as Toy Bonnie - and then old Chica - had crawled into the room and then back out again. Only then had Toy Freddy actually shot into the room, forcing Mike back into the mask once again. Mike had become jittery and flighty, he’d stopped sitting in the chair early into the night, instead taking a loose standing stance which allowed him to fly to the lights quickly. He didn't wait for noises announcing someone's presence, either. He developed a pattern. Right vent. Left vent. Flashlight, flash it a few times if either fox was in the hallway. Wind the box. Interrupt any of the previous steps to throw the mask on, if he was in danger. As 3 am rolled around - half a shift still to go - Mike was already drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. The adults they interacted with during the day were not the only things the animatronics were acting more aggressive towards.

He had a second to breathe - although he didn't fool himself into thinking it'd last long. He flipped quickly through the cameras, just to get a feel for the state of the rest of the pizzeria. As he flipped from the dining room back to the prize corner, he frowned.  _ What was that?  _ He flipped the feed back to the dining room and listened, hands flipping the lights quickly - still nothing at the office.

There. The shuffling sound of someone moving. And -  _ fuck, was that laughter?!  _ Mike hit the feed light, and felt his jaw literally drop at what he saw. Two figures froze in the sudden light, the taller one whipping around quickly to look up at the camera. There were fucking kids in the pizzeria! Well, one was a kid. A little girl - too little to be on a nighttime breaking and entering mission - accompanied by an older teenaged boy, probably only two or three years younger than Mike himself. With a sinking stomach, Mike suddenly knew exactly why there were no animatronics at the office.

"Fuck me sideways," Mike swore, letting the feed light click off, "fucking kids. Better stay right where they are. They're just kids, you fucks!" He shouted the last, grabbing up his flashlight and then, for good measure, the crowbar, "so leave them the hell alone!" He flashed the light forward once more and, seeing that the hall was still empty, made his way down it.

He didn't use his flashlight much, trying to map out the restaurant in his mind as he went. Best not to attract undue attention. Not that he was even trying to fool himself - he was absolutely dead meat. There were a lot of things ready to kill him out there in the darkness - he could only hope that they didn't take the two kids down with them.

Mike paused, someone was crying. And someone else was doing a very bad job of trying to shush the crier.

"Shh shh, C'mon Val, do you want him to find us? C'mon, stop crying. You're going to get us in trouble!" A voice whispered harshly, but the little girl just let out a particularly loud wail. Mike's heart was thundering in his chest. The bots were angry and aggressive, but the phone guy had also said they'd interacted with the kids just fine. Out of the three of them, the little girl had the best chance of getting away unharmed. But Mike had none. And he also had a feeling that the teen's chances weren't great. At what point did the animatronics start separating child and adult? And would that even matter to one of the furious monsters walking this place after Midnight?

Mike ducked through the door that seemed closest to the voices. They got louder - he was on the right track. He clicked the flashlight on, and about shit himself there and then. Huddled in the corner, bright eyes wide as they stared at him in terror, were the teenager and the little girl. Considering their familiarity and her strong grasp on the boy, Mike thought they were siblings. They, of course, were not what terrified Mike. That was the big present box sitting in the middle of the room, the small handle on its side rotating as it gave off the soothing tones of 'My Grandfather' s Clock.'

Well, best not to look opportunity in the mouth, Mike thought dryly. He crossed over quickly and grabbed the handle, giving it a few cranks. "Just, stay asleep," He muttered as he wound it, "please just stay in the goddamn box." Still cranking the box to give it as much charge as possible, Mike turned his gaze to the two terrified siblings.

"You two need to get the hell out of this place, immediately," He told them, "before I call the police and -" He cut off as the girl gave another loud wail, clinging to her brother. The teen had begun to babble too - Mike couldn't make out what he was saying.  _ Way to fucking go, Afton. Way to keep them calm and quiet! _

"Okay okay, enough!" Mike said in a harsh whisper, "I'm not calling them - you need to calm down and be quiet!" The teen, at least, snapped his mouth shut. But the girl was still petrified, Mike doubted she'd even heard him. Her cries were like nails on the chalkboard of his brain. She'd call death right to them. Mike's eyes snapped to the teen when he suddenly shouted, eyes wide as he pointed behind Mike.

"What the hell is that!"

Mike didn't even look, and it was lucky he didn't. He felt the air shift over his head violently as he threw himself to the ground - just missing getting snatched by something. He scrambled forward before finally spinning around, looking right up into the black-eyed grin of Toy Freddy.

"Gotcha~" It's voice was metallic but musical, a small twinkling note accenting each word with song. "Naughty kids, you're out of bounds~!"

_ Ohfuckohfuckohfuck _

Mike scrambled backwards, crab walking closer to the kids. Freddy wasn't alone - Mike saw the other two toys in the trio flanking the bear, effectively blocking off their only means of escaping the small room.  _ We're dead. _

"Get against the wall," Mike said softly to the siblings, "stay low, and stay behind me." He heard them scramble, thankful that they'd finally bothered to listen. The girl was still sniffling, but she wasn't wailing anymore. That was something, he supposed. Mike got to his feet carefully, eyes still on the animatronics that watched them like predatory hawks. He glanced quickly back at the kids to make sure they were behind him, then he looked back to their hunters. He held his arms out to either side.

"Leave them alone," He said, "they're just kids, you can't hurt them. You jerks don't hurt kids, right?!"

"T-that one's N-no child," the glitchy, light words were Toy Bonnie, who stepped up closer to Toy Freddy's side. Mike had to catch himself from falling out of terrified shock. He hadn't expected an answer. He'd known they had preprogrammed responses and words - that's what he'd assumed Toy Freddy's words had been. But this wasn't a preprogrammed sentence - it was a response.

_ They can talk. _

"Y-you've been a real t-thorn in our S-side, Night guard," Bonnie continued, "but now you'r-re all ours."

"Naughty Night Guard~" Freddy chimed in, "should have stayed in your office~!"

A girlish giggle had Mike looking quickly to Toy Chica, who's beak was nowhere to be found - giving her a much more sinister look. "Don't worry!" it's voice was high and girlish, almost valley girl. "I'll take the little sweetheart to another room. Wouldn't want her to see the carnage!" 

Mike's hand drifted down to his belt, and he glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with the teenager. He was clearly petrified, eyes full of tears, even though he wasn't sobbing audibly. Mike understood - he felt the same sort of terror freezing every bone in his body. But despite it all, he managed to give the teen a small smile.

"I'll deal with these jackasses," Mike said, "as soon as they're distracted, you pick her up and you run for your life." Mike did a quick mapping of the restaurant in his head. "Left from here, right at the last door down the hall. That'll take you back to the dining room and the front door. No matter what you hear or see, you just fucking run. There are more of them here, but if you're fast enough, I know you can avoid them." The teen didn't speak, but after a half second, he gave a shaky nod. It'd have to be good enough. Mike took a breath and looked to the toys, lifting the flashlight and the crowbar. Then, he screamed at them, conveying every bit of his anger and terror into sound.

He flashed the light on and off at each of them in random, strobe like patterns. He kept screaming, stomping his feet, making as much noise as he could as he approached them. Then he lunged at them, swinging the crowbar in wild swipes. His plan worked - all of their attention was on him. The flashing light disoriented Toy Chica the most, and she was slowest to get at him. Toy Freddy seemed uncertain about all the noise, and maybe weary of the crowbar. But Bonnie didn't seem to care at all - he moved quickly towards Mike, meeting his challenge head on. As the robots moved at him, Mike saw two dark shapes dart past.

_ Good luck.  _ He thought, just before Toy Bonnie's giant paw latched onto his shoulder and upper chest - effectively stopping his crowbar wielding arm. The animatronic immediately began to squeeze, and Mike let out another scream - this time a mixture of fear and pain. The bones in his shoulder ground against each other painfully, and Mike thought it was the worst pain he'd ever been in - until, with a series of loud cracks and pops, he felt the bones in his shoulder  _ shatter _ .

Another furry paw had a hold of his other arm - one of the others must have recovered from their uncertainty. Whoever had a hold there began to pull - and Mike lost himself to sheer terror, the sound ripping from his throat no longer even human. These bots, it seemed, were not content to stuff him in a suit. They were going to rip him apart, literally. And there was nothing he could do to stop them.

His eyesight began to blacken, stars and black spots dancing around him as it faded. His screaming became distant - as if coming from someone else entirely. All he knew was pain, coming from every bone in his body. He had no final thoughts, no flashes of his life. He simply faded away from himself, everything - even the pain - becoming distant. The last thing Mike registered before everything went black was the sound of a loud, metallic screech. 

* * *

 

He remembered drifting close to consciousness, once. He was moving or, maybe more accurately, being moved. There were hands holding him, two very big hands that cupped him as if holding a platter. He could smell something, too. Something old and musty and, underneath that, something horrid he couldn't quite place. It might have made him sick, if he'd been in the right frame of mind. He remembered whimpering, the sound making the hands still, only for a couple of seconds. There was the sound of something metallic churning and wheeling.

He'd turned his head slightly, trying to come up from the land of unconsciousness. It was useless, though, and the movement jostled his shoulder. The pain sent him back over, but as he went, he could swear he saw old, purple fur. 

* * *

 

"C'mon kid. Wake up." Something was hitting him in the face. Mike tried to bat it away, and promptly woke up entirely with a scream as pain ravaged him. He heard a yell of surprise, and through blinking stars, Mike was able to just make out Jacob. The man looked started, but mostly he looked concerned. He must have been crouched in front of Mike, although the younger man's yell had made him stumble back.

Mike looked around, eyes raking the walls and their surroundings before finally figuring it out. They were in parts and services. How'd he end up there?

The memories slammed into him like a train, and then the thought became  _ how the hell was he alive? _

"Oh thank god kid, I thought for sure you were dead back here." Jacob said, moving slightly closer, recovered from the start Mike's yell had given him. "Those kids were going on about the animatronics killing the night guard - couldn't find you at first, thought they might be right."

"Kids," Mike muttered, searching his memory. Right. Right! The teen and his sister. "You saw them? They okay?"

"Shaken, but much better off than you. No offense kid, but I'm pretty sure arms aren't supposed to turn that way," Jacob said, glancing at Mike's side. Mike hesitated, then decided not to look. The pain told him all he needed to know. He shifted slightly, then hissed as even the small movement made the pain considerably worse. "Look," Jacob continued, "I'm gonna ask one of the others to get you to a hospital. Just -" be paused, hesitating. Mike watched him swallow before continuing. "Look, it's just, we really, really can't afford a lawsuit. Especially not right now, when we're already being investigated. Something like that, it'd tank the company, you know? Lots of good people'd lose their jobs."

_ Slimy rat bastard. Slimy company!  _ Mike seethed internally. He almost wanted to respond that he was  _ definitely  _ suing, just to see Jacob's response. Then again, they were tucked into parts and services. Alone. Mike didn't know Jacob enough to trust that the older man wouldn't just finish the job the animatronics had started.

"s'long as I still got a job, you don't have to worry about a lawsuit from me," Mike finally said, forcing his voice to be calm. Jacob looked startled at that, but pleased.

"Yeah, well, sure. I mean, if you still want the job, it's still yours. Once you're well enough to return, obviously. I'll toss ol' Scott on the night shift until then," He said. And Mike nodded his agreement, suddenly very tired. Jacob must have noticed, because he moved over and started helped Mike get to his feet.

It was a long and incredibly painful process - Mike was sweating bullets by the time he was on his feet and perched against Jacob's side. "Easy does it," Jacob muttered as he helped Mike walk. Mike wanted to give the man a piece of his mind, but he needed all of his energy to focus on moving.

Mike's skin pricked with the sudden feeling of being watched, and he turned his head just slightly to look. At first, he didn't see anything. But then he noticed them - a pair of familiar red lights, staring straight at him, just as they might have if the animatronic they belonged to still had eyes. 


	4. Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Mike's near-death experience - and a few days of consequences - he follows the pull that demands he returns to his night shift job. What he finds, though, is that something has drastically changed. And it all starts with a rabbit in his office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to give a quick thank you to those of you who have commented on this work! And, of course, to everyone who's read it, left kudos, or any of the above. Believe me, I appreciate all of you more than I can say. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mike's shoulder and upper arm had been positively mangled, and his clavicle had begun to crack and break as well. In the worst spots, there was the added bonus of mutilated muscles and damaged blood vessels. All in all, the injuries had required emergency surgery and a brief hospital stay to watch for further complications. He was very lucky, they told him, because if the damage had been done much closer to his body, his heart might have been crushed or punctured. Mike tried not to dwell on that too much. 

When they'd finally sent him home, it'd been with strict instructions to rest, relax, and allow his shoulder to heal. It'd also been with a number of prescriptions - a painkiller, anti-inflammatory, and even a sleep aid in case the pain made sleeping difficult. After hearing the extent of the damage done and living with the pain from it for a few days, Mike strongly considered quitting. Really quitting, this time. The pain, without relief, was unbearable at times. The painkiller made him tired and a little loopy. And, maybe most importantly, a slinged up arm and busted shoulder would not allow him the sort of free movement Mike needed to keep up his pattern in the office. Going to work with his injuries was probably a death wish. But he couldn't bring himself to make the call. Instead, he just called Jacob to keep him up to speed, answering - whenever asked - that yes, he'd be back for his shift as soon as his injuries allowed. If they were still keeping him on. Everytime, it'd been with a relieved laugh that Jacob would answer that yes, of course they still wanted him. Scott, his temporary replacement, was quickly burning out on the job, and it'd simply be too much money and work to hire someone new. That should have bothered Mike, but he didn't let it. 

Mike was gone from Freddy's for a week. He probably should have stayed away longer - a week wasn't even close to enough time for him to really even begin healing. But then he'd seen the news and realized things had drastically changed. Stories about kids going missing at Freddy's weren't just rumors anymore. The news hadn't gotten especially detailed - they didn't  _ have  _ all the details. But Mike learned two things. One, the missing children had definitely last been seen at Freddy's and their disappearances had been linked to an employee at Freddy's - the working theory being the man had lured them away from their families and then done  _ something  _ with them. And two, the man they'd arrested in connection to the abductions was a daytime security guard who, to most of the world now, was known as Dave Miller. Mike, however, most often called him 'dad,' and sometimes thought of him as 'William,' if he were particularly peeved. 

When Mike had heard the name - and taken a second to figure out why it sounded familiar - it'd felt like he'd gotten punched in the gut. He'd found himself curling forward, his good hand pressed into his stomach to try and ease the sudden, anxious pain sitting there. His mind had screamed denial immediately - his father wasn't a good father, but a kidnapper?  _ Or worse?  _ William was his  _ dad _ . The man had children of his own, people with kids didn’t hurt other people’s kids. 

But that wasn't true at all, was it? People with kids hurt other kids all the time. Hell, people were perfectly capable of hurting their  _ own  _ kids. Being a father - even his father - didn't mean that William couldn't also be a bad man. A kidnapper. 

_ A murderer?  _

There were a lot of things that Mike wanted to do. Get in contact with his father, demand answers. Get in contact with the restaurant, demand answers. Call his boss, quit his job, curl up in bed and sleep until he was able to forget about all of it. 

There were a few things Mike thought he  _ should  _ do. Get in touch with Elizabeth - he hadn't yet, but if their father had been arrested, she would need  _ someone.  _ Call work and see if all of this would have any effect on his job. Call his boss, quit his job, curl up in bed and sleep until he was able to forget about all of it. 

In the end, though, Mike didn't do any of those things. He couldn't have explained it if he tried, but he absolutely knew what he had to do. He'd told Jacob that he'd been in for his next shift - and in for his next shift he would be, unless someone called and told him otherwise. Some logical, self-preserving part of himself knew it was stupid. Not just stupid, even, but flat out suicidal. But that voice might as well have been screaming at a brick wall, because Mike knew he was going back. He could not say what was pulling him back to the night shift at Freddy's. What it was that was starting to make him anxious to go back - what it is he wanted to learn, or to find. But the pull was there, and in the end, Mike listened to it. 

* * *

The atmosphere in the restaurant was  _ different  _ somehow, when Mike arrived for his first shift back. It was neatly put together and quiet as always - and the three Toys were sitting pretty on their stage. Mike’s skin prickled and he glanced at them again, and took an involuntary step back. They were still on the stage, but all three were looking directly at him. Their eyes were pitch black, except for tiny points of white light, and Mike could feel sheer  _ fury  _ radiating off of them. But they didn’t make a move for him, not yet. Despite their anger, it seemed they were still content to wait for midnight. Just in case though, Mike kept a wide berth around them as he headed for the office. 

Mike found himself thinking of the night ahead as he walked down the hallway. The animatronics were already worked up - and his time away meant he'd probably be rusty. And, of course, his arm was still slung close to his body and completely immobile. He’d gladly ruin it to keep himself safe, obviously, but he’d rather it didn’t come to that. He’d have to stay nimble and quick, keep to the pattern he’d developed so, if nothing else, nothing would take him by surprise. 

Mike touched the wall of the doorway as he entered the office, and did a quick scan of the room. Empty right vent, desk was messier than Mike would normally leave it - an easy fix, the mask sitting on the desk next to the chair, and the giant - 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Mike screamed, leaping backwards in alarm. Sitting next to the left vent, its knees propped up at its chest, was the old Bonnie animatronic. Mike could clearly see it was awake, the two red lights that served as its eyes were lit. And it was staring right at Mike. It hadn’t seemed at all alarmed by his scream, although it did tilt its head - as if curious. And then it began to stand, getting up to its feet with a few mechanical whirls. It couldn’t quite fit though, and the way it had to crouch slightly to fit into the room was almost comical. It might have been, if not for the fact that Mike’s sanctuary was currently housing a murderous animatronic and it was  _ only 11:50.  _ Mike backed up more into the hallway, looking behind him quickly to be sure that no other animatronics had decided to play early. It was empty, though, so he looked back to Bonnie. What the actual hell was he supposed to do now?

A loud, mechanical chattering noise came from the withered rabbit. Mike flinched and tensed, half expecting it to lunge at him. It didn’t move, though, just kept looking at him. And even as a minute ticked by, Mike standing there in uncertainty, it just kept looking at him. Mike felt a stutter of pain radiate through his shoulder - a painful reminder of what had happened last time an animatronic had gotten so close. But, except for its usual terrifying gaze and it’s size, nothing seemed particularly aggressive about Bonnie. It certainly didn’t seem as pissed as the Toys had. It made that same noise again - and, suddenly, Mike was sure it was talking to him. More than that, if he wasn’t just losing his mind - and that was certainly a possibility - Mike was sure Bonnie had asked him a  _ question.  _

“Sorry,” Mike said, his voice coming out a bit more squeaky than he’d intended. He paused, trying to clear his throat. “Uhm. I don’t really...understand. Why - why are you in my - the office?” Bonnie made another noise, and even though it was still mechanical and harsh, there was a different inflection to it. A noise of irritation, Mike realized. “I’m sorry…” he muttered, moving backwards a bit more. 

Bonnie didn’t do anything for a long minute, and then it began to move again, taking a long, slow step in Mike’s direction. Then it paused, before taking yet another long, slow step. Mike stiffened, readied himself to move, but didn’t, despite every instinct screaming at him to run. Time was counting down quickly - chances are, he’d run into something else if he tried to flee now. Besides, and he knew it sounded crazy - even in his own mind - Bonnie didn’t seem interested in attacking him. In fact, the way it was approaching him, with slow, halting strides, reminded Mike of someone carefully approaching a wounded animal. So he watched as the rabbit got closer. And, then, Bonnie reached out his arm - Mike flinched but continued to hold still. He couldn’t help but pull back sharply and whimper, though, when one of Bonnie’s furred digits touched his damaged shoulder. 

What was surprising, though, was that at his flinch, Bonnie quickly moved his hand away, letting out a quick, mechanical grind. Mike looked at him, and they stared at each other for a few seconds, before Bonnie repeated the noise - softer that time. Mike swallowed, then nodded. 

“It’s...it’s alright. I’m fine. I just - it’s sensitive and, uh, to be honest, you make me pretty nervous.” He paused, Bonnie had tilted its head again, one ear flopping over slightly. Mike took a breath. “But you’re...you’re not going to hurt me, are you? That’s not why you’re here.” 

At that, Bonnie perked up, both of its ears lifting straight above its head. And it nodded -  _ fucking nodded  _ \- its agreement. Mike’s immediate thought was that he had to be the biggest idiot to walk the planet - because he believed the animatronic. He still flinched slightly as Bonnie moved again - but the rabbit simply turned to move back into the office, settling down to sit back in the spot it’d been in when Mike had entered. It turned its head slightly, looking at his chair, the message clear. Apparently, Mike had a guest for the night. 

He’d be an idiot to stay and allow one of the - in his opinion - more terrifying animatronics to sit at his back. Some of the animatronics had already proven they had a mean streak - and after learning that they could  _ talk  _ and  _ understand,  _ Mike had no doubt they could also plan. It could be a giant trick - Bonnie would wait until Mike’s guard was down, and then pounce. Finish the job the toys had started. 

And yet. And yet.

Mike looked at his arm, let the memories of that night wash over him. Maybe, what he’d thought had been a fever dream - the feeling of being carried, the purple fur - hadn’t been a dream at all. It seemed impossible and far-fetched - but had Bonnie been the reason Mike was alive? Had the older animatronic saved him from the toys?  _ Well,  _ Mike thought,  _ you can always ask.  _

“Bonnie,” Mike said, waiting for the rabbit to look his way again, “did you...well, was it you? Did you save me from the others?”

Bonnie’s reply was a rasping, metallic sound. And then, a second later, as if realizing MIke wouldn’t understand, the rabbit nodded its head. Mike gaped at Bonnie, feeling a cold rush down his back. This went against everything he’d learned so far, at his job. What had changed? What had brought the old, torn apart animatronic to his rescue? Mike looked at his watch. It was midnight, the time for guessing and wondering was over, he had to make a choice, and he had to do it now. Mike could either take his chance with the apparently friendly animatronic, or run off into the darkness into the waiting arms of the toys. Mike looked at Bonnie again, and then took a long, deep breath before moving into the room and taking his seat. 

The mechanical whirl Bonnie made sounded almost happy. 

Mike glanced at the rabbit briefly, then looked to the phone as it began to ring. Scott's voice - he'd learned that his temporary replacement and the phone guy were the same person - was off tonight. Anxious. Because of the investigation and arrest, Mike realized when Scott mentioned the lock-down. It was odd that Mike had been allowed in, in that case, but Freddy's was known for cutting corners. He also learned that he was possibly up for a promotion to the day shift - something he had mixed feelings about, feelings he couldn't possibly sort through in the moment. The message was brief, and as the phone clicked off, Mike took a breath. 

"Alright Bonnie," He said, "let's get this show started."

* * *

Bonnie did not take advantage of Mike’s turned back to attack him. In fact, the rabbit animatronic proved to be an invaluable help throughout the night. His hearing was far more acute than Mike’s, and Bonnie used that talent to warn Mike ahead of time if one of the toys was coming to visit. Mike would see the rabbit’s head suddenly swivel towards one of the vents and know to throw the mask on quickly. The toys hung around longer than usual - and Mike had a feeling it was because they didn’t know quite what to make of Bonnie. 

Bonnie also seemed to be a sort of old animatronic keep-away. Mike only saw the toys throughout the night - he saw neither hide nor hair of the original Freddy, Chica, or Foxy. That being despite the fact that they weren’t visible on the cameras. They were obviously on the move, but apparently had no interest in bothering Mike. With Bonnie by his side, Mike had the easiest night he’d had in awhile. 

There’d been one close call. Toy Bonnie had snuck into the vent at the same time as Toy Chica, and it’d been the latter that Bonnie had heard first. So when Toy Bonnie suddenly lunged into the room, Mike had only just put the mask back and was wholly unprepared. He screamed, and at the sound Bonnie was suddenly on his feet - standing as tall as he could in the too-small room. He let out a loud, mechanical sound like a roar, and stepped forward until he was leaning  _ over  _ Mike. Toy Bonnie had stopped in its tracks, looking at Bonnie with wide eyes as the older rabbit screeched at him. He seemed angry, frustrated, but also undeniably frightened by the older animatronic. Toy Bonnie had looked at Mike, eyes flopping to that terrifying black gaze, but he hadn't made any further move towards the security guard. Bonnie made another angry sounding metallic screech. Toy Bonnie had looked towards the older animatronic and then, without saying a word, the shiny toy rabbit had backed up, turned, and left.

Mike put his good hand to his chest, feeling as his heart beat rapidly beneath it. Bonnie made a series of mechanical chattering sounds, looking down at Mike from where he was still hovering over the human guard. Mike looked back up, taking a few deep breaths before nodding shortly. “I’m alright,” he said, noting that his voice was shaking violently, “t-thank you.” Bonnie leaned a bit closer, peering at him for a second before nodding and backing up to return to his spot near the corner. 

After that, even the toys seemed calmer. They still tried - but they were slower than they’d started that night. By the time six arrived, Mike's adrenaline had even gone back to normal - leaving him tired and sore. When the alarm clock started blaring, Bonnie immediately got to his feet. He didn’t even look at Mike as he began to shamble for the hallway, ears rubbing slightly against the ceiling. As he passed by, Mike reached out with his good hand and touched the rabbit’s fur-covered arm. That made Bonnie pause and glance back to the human, gears whirling curiously.

  
“Thanks, Bonnie. Again. Honestly I - I’m not sure what I did to make you want to help me, but I’m grateful,” Mike said. Bonnie watched him for a second, and then reached a hand out, pausing briefly as if waiting for Mike to flinch again. Mike wanted to, it took all of his willpower not to, but he managed to stay still. Seeing he wouldn’t move away, Bonnie continued reaching out. 

And promptly patted Mike on the head. It was just two small pats, and then he lifted his paw away. Mike just stared, and he could have sworn the mechanical noise the rabbit made was  _ amused _ . Mike blinked and then, amazed even at himself, he laughed softly. “Yeah, alright,” He said, “I’ll see you later, Bonnie.” With that, the rabbit left, likely to return to its spot in the parts and services room.

_ "He likes you."  _ Mike jumped violently at the voice, spinning quickly in place. The golden, limp bear was sitting in the corner Bonnie had just vacated. Even though it's dead eye sockets were staring forward at nothing, Mike had the feeling it was looking at him. It was creepy as ever - but Mike smiled. 

"Jeremy," Mike said, sitting forward in his chair, "Bonnie likes me, huh? Seems like a big 360 from before. If I remember right, he was trying to kill me just as much as the others."

_ "I told you before that the toys are angry. It's all they know. They would have killed that boy, if you hadn't been there. The older ones are angry, too, but they are also more than that. They remember more. To them, that boy was still a child. An older sibling any one of them might have had. You protected him. You protected them both. The older animatronics respect this. They respect you. Bonnie is the one who found you - I believe he is feeling protective." _

"Do you know how insane that all sounds?" Mike asked. To his surprise, a soft laughter filled his mind, almost seeming to echo throughout the room itself. 

_ "More insane than any of the rest?"  _

"Well, no, fair point," Mike admitted. 

They were quiet for a second. Mike rubbed an arm - it felt as if the temperature in the room had fallen a few degrees. He looked back towards the limp form of golden freddy. 

_ "Things are wrong here, Mikey. They are not wrong to be angry. Keep your eyes open - maybe you can help them." _

Mike sighed lightly, but nodded without hesitation. "Yeah," He said, "I'll do my best, Jeremy. I'll try."

_ "That's all I can ask. Goodnight, Mikey."  _ Without fanfare, the golden bear simply vanished, and Mike was alone again. 

Mike got to his feet, ready to head home. His shoulder was aching - he was overdue for some pain meds and some sleep. He'd certainly need both to be prepared for his next shift. 

* * *

If the restaurant had been strange the night before, it was down right ominous now. Mike paused in the dining room, trying to figure out just what it was that felt so off. Then, as he looked over the tables, Mike realized what it was. 

It was still a mess. Table cloths hung close to the floor, plates and party hats were scattered all about. There was a box of pizza upturned on the floor, and Mike grimaced as a roach crawled over it. Usually by the time he got there the place was cleaned up, ready for the next day. So why wasn't it tonight? 

He picked up his pace a bit, aware that the possibility existed that it  _ had  _ been cleaned, but had since been trashed by a rogue animatronic. He briefly entertained the idea of an actual break-in, but as he checked through the restaurant, there were no signs of any such thing. 

Thankfully, his way to the office was clear as usual. Everyone seemed to be in their places, or at least so he thought. Until he peeked into his office and then promptly threw himself back against the wall so hard that for a second he was worried he might have re-broken something. 

Bonnie was not in his office - but it was far from empty. Because now, the hulking frame of the old Freddy filled the space where Bonnie had been the night before. This, Mike decided immediately, was considerably more terrifying. Just as the night before, however, the animatronic made no aggressive move towards Mike. It just looked at him expectantly. 

"F-Freddy?" Mike asked. At the name, the bear tilted his head. It's jaw popped open slightly, as if it'd been trying to open it, but it was simply too withered to work properly. Unlike Bonnie, it seemed Freddy still had some use of its voicebox. The voice that came out was harshly mechanical, deep, and it stuttered badly. But the word itself was clear. 

"Saf-f-fe," Freddy said. Mike wasn't sure what to make of that. He glanced quickly around the office and into the hallway behind him, before looking to the bear again. He shrugged his good shoulder. 

"I mean, yeah, for the moment, since it's not midnight yet and all -" He stopped, flinching, when Freddy made a sudden, harsh grinding noise. A noise of frustration, Mike realized a second later. He swallowed as Freddy spoke again. 

"Ke-e-ep sa-a-a-fe," Freddy repeated. 

"Oh," Mike answered, "you're - you're here to keep me safe?" At that, Freddy nodded, the movement bringing his jaw clicking back up into place. 

Mike didn't exactly relish the idea of the large, strong, previously-aggressive animatronic sitting at his back. It'd turned out okay the night before, but it seemed more dangerous with Freddy. On the other hand, what was he going to do, refuse? It'd be easy for Freddy - or any of the other originals - to flip back to aggression at any moment. If Mike refused, the old bear might just decide that he wasn't worth the effort and rip him apart, or something. Mike glanced back towards the hall again. Bonnie wasn't there, but hadn't Jeremy called the rabbit animatronic 'protective'? Would he really go through the trouble of keeping Mike safe, only to leave him to Freddy's mercy the next night? Mike… didn't think so. It seemed most likely that Bonnie had roped Freddy into his 'keep the guard safe' plan. 

So in the end, Mike just nodded. He made his way over to his chair and sat down, keeping an eye on the animatronic until he was facing forward and couldn't see it any longer. Freddy's presence behind him was heavy and oppressive. And somewhat terrifying, if he were being honest. 

He looked back towards the bear, which stated back with glassy eyes, expression unreadable. Mike swallowed, then gave Freddy a shaky thumbs up before facing his desk again. With a breath, he pulled up his camera module. 

_ Check on the music box first,  _ he told himself,  _ it's a night like any other. Just do your best to ignore the possibly blood-thirsty bear behind you.  _

He flipped through the cameras quickly - no one he could see was out of place yet - then switched to the music box module. 

And his jaw dropped open. 

Standing in the room, right next to the music box, was old Foxy. It wasn't looking at the camera, but as Mike watched, the fox reached out, grabbed the music box crank, and gave it a wind. That was it, Mike decided, this was all officially some fever dream in the afterlife. Toy Bonnie had killed him after all, and this was the hell fate had left him in. Forever in this office with animatronics that made  _ no damn sense.  _

"So, what, Foxy's helping too, now?" Mike asked out loud, not even really intending it to be a real question. He jumped out of his skin when Freddy's stuttering, broken voice answered. 

"Ke-e-e-p saf-f-fe."

Right. 

Mike was positive that Freddy had jumped, just as Mike did, when the phone began to ring. The loud, jarring noise still got him - even though it rang like this at the same time every damn shift. Mike sighed lightly and hit the on button. 

And then, for the second time in his short career, had to hold himself back from whipping the phone at the wall. No, he damned well had  _ not  _ gotten any memo. Well, the place being closed explained the disarray out in the dining room. Why would anyone bother cleaning up, when most of the staff wouldn't be coming back? It might have been nice to clean for one last party, but Mike supposed he understood not even bothering with that much. 

Scott was cryptic about what, exactly, had happened. Mike had no idea what the other man meant about old suits, he hadn't known there were any such things. But, Mike had a morbid guess or two about what  _ used  _ meant. A sudden image came unbidden to his mind of his father slipping into a golden Bonnie suit, back when Mike had been younger and easily enthralled by such things. His stomach twisted violently and he pushed the memory away. 

One more night at Freddy's. Two more shifts. And then he would have no choice but to put it all behind him. It would be a relief. He just had to get through one more night. With, apparently, especially aggressive animatronics. From the night before, it seemed Scott thought someone had been messing with their mainframes. Personally, Mike thought it went deeper than that. Something had happened to children, and the animatronics were out for blood. 

"And I guess that's especially true tonight, huh?" Mike asked, glancing again at Freddy, "they're really angry, that's why you're here?" the big bear nodded his agreement. 

_ Well,  _ Mike thought, bracing himself,  _ I just hope they're as scared of Freddy as I am.  _

* * *

As it turned out, the toy animatronics  _ were _ scared off by Freddy's presence. Mike saw them a few times - Toy Bonnie, especially, seemed persistent. Mike was starting to think the blue rabbit had a special vendetta against him. But they never really got close enough to make a move. Mostly, they stood in the hall, glaring into the office with those horrid black eyes. Toy Bonnie had come to the vent, once. But at a vicious sounding growl from Freddy - that made Mike duck low in his chair - the rabbit had fled. 

There was one terrifying moment when Mangle had, somehow, managed to sneak in. It had hung from the ceiling, snarling it's screeching noise. But before it could lunge, Freddy had stood slightly and snatched it out of the air. Mike watched, blinking, as the bear animatronic tossed the broken fox down the hall. 

Mangle didn't come back after that. 

The night passed without incident. It was almost  _ boring _ . As the alarm began to scream, Freddy began to move away. Mike quickly moved out of the way for the bear, who had to lumber around the chair awkwardly in order to leave. Like Bonnie the night before, Freddy didn't care to say goodbye. Mike let him go, but did call out as Freddy left. 

"Thank you," Mike said. He'd never meant anything so sincerely in his life. The bear had paused and turned to look at Mike. He blinked - the motion slow and glitchy - then nodded before continuing his path out. 

Mike realized he felt a bit sad, watching the old bear go. He wondered what would happen to the old animatronics now. Scott had made it seem like Freddy's would likely reopen in the future - would they keep all of the animatronics around? Scrap them all and start fresh? He hoped, if nothing else, the company would at least keep the old ones around. But, there was nothing Mike could do about that. He'd made it through his last night shift. After the party tomorrow, he'd likely be out of a job. He'd have to focus on taking care of himself - he couldn't worry about Freddy's any longer. 

With a sigh, Mike got to his feet, and left the office for the last time. 


	5. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike has one last shift to work - a daytime birthday party. He's not thrilled about it, but he doubts it'll be anything like his previous shifts. One more, and then he's free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than the others - it sort of stands on its own as an end of part 1. But don't worry, there's plenty more to come! I hope you all enjoy.

Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria was an entirely different beast during the day. Mike had forgotten just how _loud_ it was. He was also very concerned about the fact that the animatronics wandered freely whenever they weren’t on stage, but at least it was clear from their stilted movements, glassy looks, and coined phrases that whatever AI or intelligence drove them at night was absent now.  _You'd think they would have turned them off, considering the mess we're in._ Mike thought with no small amount of bitterness.

Well, Mike realized as the party went on, that haunted AI was _mostly_ absent. Every now and then, from his vantage as security guard, Mike would watch one of the toy animatronics glance ever so subtly at a nearby adult. And for a moment, that malicious intelligence would return to their eyes. Mike guessed it could just be his own paranoia, but that wasn't a chance he was willing to take. So he was always quick to intervene, moving the adult in question to another part of the pizzeria. Thankfully, none of the animatronics ever made any actual moves against any of the adults milling about. Not even Mike himself. Although he wasn't thrilled about being asked to work this one last day shift, it really wasn't going so badly.

As the party progressed, Mike felt a bit more emboldened around the animatronics. He didn't think there was much they could - or would - do during the day, while surrounded by swarms of other people and children. He even managed to - very subtly, so as to not be seen by the kids - flip Toy Bonnie a quick bird with his functional hand. He'd even smiled when Toy Bonnie's response was a quick, angry look. The fact that it'd be the last time he saw any of the plastic assholes also bolstered his courage.

But, overall, he still did his best to keep some distance between him and the robotic animals. They may not charge over at him, but he wouldn't put it past them to make a move if he wandered too close. So, he simply didn't. That was easy enough, and the day passed smoothly, the party eventually winding down as it came to an end. As the time counted down, Mike felt itchy. Ready to go. For all his bluster, for all the fact that he'd kept coming back, he was ready now to put it behind him. He thought he'd try to find a nice nine to five, where the biggest concern he'd have was if he'd make the metrics for the month.

As the final guests were gathering up their things, Mike was surprised to feel a soft tugging at the bottom of his shirt. He looked down, into the eyes of a sniffling little boy. He was looking up at Mike expectantly, so the guard crouched down, tilting his head slightly.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" He asked.

"Mister," the boy said in a soft voice, "I lost my hat on Bonnie, can you get it back for me?"

He did what now? Mike looked over towards the stage and blinked when he saw that, sure enough, there was a little red hat hanging cockeyed off of Toy Bonnie's ear. Mike felt his stomach drop violently, but tried not to let the kid see his sudden nervousness. Who, exactly, had Mike managed to piss off in a past life? He glanced around quickly, seeing if there was anyone else he could rope into grabbing the hat. And then he berated himself. If Toy Bonnie tried anything, he'd try it on anyone who got too close. Mike couldn't very well ask some poor, unsuspecting soul to get the hat. He'd have to do it himself. At least he knew enough to be careful.

"How'd that get way up there?" Mike asked, forcing a playful smile onto his face, "that's way too tall for you." At that, the boy scowled slightly.

"I told my sister she throws like a girl, 'n then she took my hat and threw it up there," the boy said. Despite himself, Mike actually laughed lightly at that.

"Guess that'll be the last time you tease your sister, huh?" He asked, pushing back up to stand, "hold tight kid, I'll grab your hat for you."

Easier said than done, he thought as he turned to face Toy Bonnie. He approached the toy rabbit slowly, staring into its eyes as he did. Toy Bonnie didn't move, eyes staying focused ahead, still glassy and inanimate. That didn't stop the cold sweat from breaking out all over Mike's body. His injured shoulder ached with each heartbeat, as if trying to remind him of what had happened last time he'd gotten this close to the toy.

_It's fine,_ he told himself, _that haunted what-the-fuck-ever probably isn't even active right now. It's just a harmless robot. Just grab the hat real quick, and get back as quick as possible._ "Kid just wants his hat, Bonnie," Mike muttered to the animatronic, "just gotta get his hat, then you'll never see me again. So let's just play nice, alright? You wouldn't want the kid to go without his hat, would you?" There was no reaction.

Mike wasn't a short guy, but Toy Bonnie still had a solid half foot on him. It's ear was even taller - which meant that Mike had to push up onto his tippy toes to reach for the hat. His breath was quick and shallow, heart pounding furiously. He kept looking from the hat to the animatronic's eyes, but Toy Bonnie just kept still. Eyes still glassy, staring at nothing.

It was as Mike snatched the hat that he saw the change. Too close, too late. A spark of _something_ glinted in Toy Bonnie's eye. With a cry of alarm, Mike tried to push himself quickly backward.

But the animatronic was faster. It lunged, teeth snapping forward.

There was a crunch, like a gunshot gone off right inside Mike's head.

Someone was screaming.

Mike didn't know if it was him, or Jeremy.

Maybe it was both of them.

* * *

 

The Golden bear sat across from him, in a space Mike couldn't quite piece together. It appeared just as it always had - a limp animatronic with no exoskeleton, no eyes. Mike tried to reach for it, but he couldn't. He had nothing to reach with. No body, no limbs. Only eyes, staring straight forward at the animatronic home of his little brother.

_"They say you'll live."_

**_Are you jealous?_ **Mike's response was only thoughts, harsh and echoing in the strange room. He didn't think he'd have ever asked that question in his right mind - but here, it came out unbidden, as if he had no control.

_"No Mikey, I'm glad. I felt it happen - I was scared. I didn't want you to die."_

**_I'm sorry._ **

_"I know you are."_

**_I miss you._ **

_"I know you do."_ They were quiet for a minute. _"I miss you too. And I forgive you. You were a misguided child."_

**_I was fifteen. I should have known better._ **

_"You should have. But kids so often should. Try not to dwell any longer, brother mine."_

Mike didn't answer, he wasn't sure how. If he'd had a corporeal body, he thought he'd be crying. He felt like crying.

_"I'm sorry, too, Mikey."_

**_What? What for?_ **

_"I thought this was the time. That you'd help me - help all of us. But I was wrong. This has only ended in more pain, more deaths. And it put you in harms way. I knew it would be risky, but had I known it would come to this, I would have asked you to leave."_

**_This isn't over, you mean._ **

_"No, I don't believe it is. But your part can be. Should be. Mikey, leave this place behind. We will manage, we have for this long. You've been given a second chance, so take it. Live your best life. For me."_

They didn't exchange words for another long stretch of time. But Mike had to know.

**_Are you in pain?_ **

_"... Sometimes. It comes and goes. It is nothing unbearable."_

That told Mike all he needed to know.

**_I won't leave you, Jeremy. When the time comes again, I'll be there. If this isn't over, then neither am I._ **


	6. Chapter 6 - Part Two: Freddy Fazbear's Pizza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although some scars will follow him forever, Mike has put a lot of Freddy's behind him. Or, so be thinks. Little does he know, the universe isn't content in keeping them apart forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter has been slightly edited. Nothing major - I'd just forgotten that they mention the bite in the first phone call. Seemed important that Mike have some reaction to that. 
> 
> Just a quick thank you to everyone who had commented, bookmarked, left kudos, or even just viewed this work. I appreciate all of you! Please enjoy!

_**Ten Years Later** _

Mike woke suddenly, groaning before he was even fully awake. The front of his head throbbed, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. It was a familiar feeling, a migraine that filled his whole head, although it seemed to originate in the part of his brain he no longer had. He had them often, and over the last ten years he had learned that there was little to do but close his eyes and wait for it to pass. Not that that was _easy._ The pain was excruciating, untouched by any available painkillers. It was a horrible, pulsating, sharp feeling - as if he were reliving the pain of the original bite over and over again for however long it took for the migraine to fade. It was also common to feel some shadow of pain pulsing down his arm, too, although that had been fully 'healed' for years now.

A miracle, the news networks had called it. An amazing feat of science and medicine, able to keep a man alive even without a frontal lobe. But in moments like this, during these attacks, it didn't feel like such a miracle. Mike knew what it was to appreciate life - he had stared death in the face so often that it was impossible to crave it. But, sometimes, the headaches got so bad that some small part of him wished Toy Bonnie had just managed to finish the job.

Mike grabbed out blindly, feeling along his bed until his fingers touched a soft, fuzzy lump. He grabbed it and pulled it close, relishing in the comfortable huggability of the Bonnie plush. It was nearly ten years old, now, and the time had faded it despite Mike's best efforts. But it was still one of his prized positions, even though it'd been a gift from Fazbear Entertainment. They'd offered him the choice of any piece of merchandise, as well as enough money to live semi-comfortably on for the rest of his life.

Bribes, he knew. He'd never had a doubt about that. It was a lot of money, but it was still preferable over getting sued. Again. Lawsuits tarnished the company's reputation, after all. And that was just slightly more important to them than money. Mike had known what it was from the start - but in the end, he'd taken it. He hadn't wanted to be drug into the spotlight, either. Especially not with his father being so thoroughly investigated - he'd wanted to keep as much distance between himself and any missing and/or dead children as possible. Mike - or 'Jeremy Fitzgerald' - had been investigated briefly, as another security guard at Freddy's. He'd had nothing to hide, obviously, but it'd still been a stressful time. Especially as he was trying to heal from being lobotomized at the same time. It had passed without incident, though. Part of that was because of his father's apparently air-tight fake identity. He was never found to be anyone besides 'Dave Miller,' which meant there was no connection to Mike. Unfortunately, it'd also been partly because the evidence had been circumstantial at best. There had never been bodies actually found. So Freddy's was freed from any wrongdoing.

And William Afton had gone free. And had promptly vanished - Mike hadn't spoken to his father since that night at Freddy's. It'd hurt, to not even hear from the man while he was fighting for his life. At the same time, though, a part of Mike was sort of glad. The law might not be able to prove it, but Mike had become certain that his father was guilty of the crimes they'd tried to charge him with. And, really, he didn't need that kind of negativity in his life.

A little under an hour later - though it always felt like days - the migraine waned, and Mike felt well enough to get to his feet and get ready for the day. The rest of the ache would fade with a bit more time, he knew. He grabbed plush Bonnie as he got up and stuffed it into the waistband of his pajama pants, carrying the little plush with him as he went through his routine.

Brush teeth first - it was better to brush before eating, but if he did it first, the taste would mostly be gone by the time he had breakfast. Left, right, one, two, right, right, left. His mind wandered a bit as he focused on brushing, the pattern familiar now, after so many years. One more brush hard on his front teeth, spit, rinse, and done.

Then it was time to get dressed - today was a comfortable pair of worn jeans and a long sleeved shirt. He transferred plush Bonnie into his jeans pocket, then headed for the kitchen. It was Wednesday, which meant one cup of real coffee, with two quick spills of vanilla creamer. It also meant two eggs, scrambled, with a slice and a half of American cheese. He threw back a small handful of pills, taking a swig of coffee to wash them down and grimacing all the while. 

And then, finally, he felt like he could breathe. This need for patterned starts and ends to his day was not, according to his doctors, necessarily a side effect of missing his frontal lobe. Possible, they'd said, but they'd also gently recommended he considered talking to someone. He'd eventually found someone he didn't mind talking to. He wasn't sure, even having been talking with her once a week for five or so years, that she actually believed his stories. But she knew that _he_ believed them, and that made it real for him, and affected his psyche. It was their working theory that this need for patterns was a combination of his injury, and the trauma from his time at Freddy's. Holding a pattern - knowing where to look and what to grab at any given second had often saved his life back then. Mike hadn't ever really felt in control, but those moments had been as close as he got.

Freed from the day's morning compulsions, he tried to plan the rest of his day. His fridge was drying up a bit - he'd probably get some groceries at some point. But otherwise, there was nothing pressing for time. He sighed lightly and wandered over to his door, slipping quickly outside to grab the day's paper.

Mike didn't need to work - another perk of the hush money. But he liked to watch for jobs, anyway. Day to day life was whatever - he couldn't really complain _too_ much - but it did tend to get repetitive and boring. His therapist had suggested a hobby - and Mike really had tried, but nothing had ever really stuck. He just didn't have the patience to wait, any longer. If he wasn't good at something quickly, it became immediately frustrating, and he generally gave it up.

But he sort of liked working. He didn't have a career, but he'd bounced around between places. He'd done some mechanic work, some office work, he'd even spent some time as a waiter. Over all, he tended to move on once he got bored. Although the waiter job _had_ ended a bit poorly. An irate customer had started yelling at Mike and Mike, who's impulse control was poor these days, had started yelling back. That, apparently, was not the preferred method of dealing with customers. It hadn't been much of a loss, though. He'd disliked that job anyway.

He flipped through the paper, once he'd settled into his chair in the living room. He glanced quickly at the news - nothing new, nothing interesting. Some part of him was always on edge, waiting for sudden news of his father, or even Elizabeth. But it was a tiny hope - ten years had passed since he'd heard from either of them. The news had stopped talking about the going-ons at Freddy's about a year after the end of the trial. It had faded quickly from most people's memory, and Mike had accepted that, most likely, he'd never see any of his family again.

He frowned slightly, put the thoughts out of his mind, and flipped to the employment section. He skimmed it quickly, most of the listing were for temporary help in houses and yards. But then Mike's eyes latched onto an especially large graphic, smack dab in the middle of the page. And he froze.

A black and white picture of an animatronic bear was looking jovily out, mouth partly open as if in mid-song. Mike's heart was in his throat, he'd recognize that bear anywhere, even though he'd clearly undergone some design changes. He touched the picture with a finger, tracing the image of Freddy. He looked at the posting, eyes reading the words with a sort of detachment.

_HELP WANTED_

**Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.**

"Well, shit," He said.

* * *

 

Mike's first impression of the new restaurant was that it was considerably smaller than the last. His second was that it was clearly the last dying breath of a company. The front door opened directly into the dining room, and as he entered, Mike paused, eyes raking quickly over the restaurant. He reached up and tugged the beanie on his head down a bit more snug against his skin.

Even on a slow day, the old restaurant had been busier than this one. But it wasn't empty - there were three separate tables of kids and their parents. The air was stale, smelling of old unwashed carpet, greasy pizza, and popcorn. A small counter for prizes sat in a corner, manned by the most miserable looking teenager Mike had ever seen. A few other workers wandered about the pizzeria, occasionally checking on the guests. The carpet was dirty and stained in multiple places, and a few stray pop bottles were scattered around. It was almost painful to see - the Fazbear restaurant had never been a pinnacle of sanitation, but this would never have flown. Still, Mike didn't dwell on it too much. That wasn't why he was here. He took a deep breath and looked further down the room.

His eyes found the smaller curtain first. It was shut, not a child to be seen near it. Deactivated entirely, if he had to guess. 'Pirate's Cove' it read. He didn't know why it wasn't active, but it didn't take much brain power for Mike to figure out what was surely hiding behind that curtain. His interactions with Foxy and Mangle before had been brief and terrifying - so he was okay with whichever fox was present being hidden behind the curtain. Mike looked further and promptly found the main stage. His heart beat violently and he took an involuntary step back.

Three vaguely familiar figures stood on the stage. Their feet seemed rooted to the floor, but their waists turned and rotated, hands and heads and instruments moving in time with some of the cheesiest poor-quality music Mike had ever heard.

They were a strange combination - they reminded him the most of the old, broken down animatronics that had sat unused in parts and services. His - allies, if he had to put a word to it. But they weren't direct copies. They were whole, for one. Their fur was much nicer looking, with much less of the wear and tear the old animatronics had. Although they weren't perfect, he noted, it looked as if they suffered the same sanitation problems as the rest of the building. Bonnie had a face - it didn't quite seem to match the shape Mike remembered, but it wasn't the cheesy face of Toy Bonnie, either. Bonnie and Chica had their full appendages, and as they move and sang, their jaws worked in mechanic but functional motions. Freddy was more compact than Mike remembered, a bit softer than the old animatronic had been. But still, he was much more reminiscent of the old, withered one who'd once watched over Mike. Mike wondered how they'd done it - were they new animatronics entirely? Some sort of combination of the old and the new?

His mind asked the question he didn't want to admit out loud - _friend or foe?_

He started slightly at the sudden movement of someone in his periphery. Mike turned to look, straightening a bit as a man - security, by the looks of him - walked over.

"Excuse me sir, but if you ain't got a kid, you can't hang out," the man said.

It took everything Mike had to not laugh in the man's face. So that was their way of trying to ease the concerns of the public. Barring adults without children - yeah, that would do it, he thought sarcastically. Not like it'd been a Fazbear's employee who'd done shit before. But he kept it to himself, simply giving the other man a light smile.

"Sorry, but I'm actually here for the job posting. For the night guard?" Mike said. The other man blinked, then nodded, although Mike didn't miss the sudden nervousness on his face. That didn't bode well.

"Oh, yeah, right," He said, "well, let me bring you to the boss then."

'The Boss' didn't even have his own office. He sat at a desk over in the corner near the prize counter. Mike disliked him almost immediately - he sort of reminded him of Jacob, but somehow worse. Jacob's demeanor, if nothing else, had always held a sort of nervousness. He'd never admitted that something bad was going on, but it was clear he knew and disliked it. This guy - he introduced himself as Pat - was cheerful and upbeat. He spoke of the restaurant and the job as if Mike was the luckiest person in the world to even be considered.

"Is this a new position, then?" Mike asked, once he was able to get a word in edgewise. Pat looked at him, then laughed lightly.

"Oh no, of course not! Safety is Fazbear Entertainment's number one priority. And that means the safety of our guests, our employees, and even our furry friends! We've had a night guard since opening. It just happens that the position has come available," he said.

"The old one quit?" Mike asked. And that, finally, got a reaction from Pat. Not nervousness or sadness, but a spark of anger that told Mike he needed to reel it in, quick, if he had any hope of getting this job. _Don't ask too many questions,_ Mike thought, _got it._

"No," Pat said, his voice still jolly despite the underlying anger, "no, unfortunately, there was a tragic accident. A one-off mistake that, sadly, claimed his life. It is upsetting, but we can't let the restaurant suffer while we mourn."

Well, that was all Mike really needed to hear. He knew the place well enough to read between those lines. The animatronics were absolutely still haunted, and it sounded like they'd finally got the last guard's number. _Have you lost your goddamn mind, Afton?_ He wondered to himself, _Why would you willingly put yourself in this situation again? You should turn and leave now, before you don't get to leave at all._

But in the end, he'd accepted the job. Because his injury had left him reckless and impulsive.

No. He couldn't blame this one on that. This was because he had never forgotten his promise to Jeremy, in that place between life and death. Freddy's had finally called to him again, and he was ready to answer.

* * *

 

 _They get doors here?_ Was Mike's first indignant thought. If he'd had solid, reinforced steel doors, his time at the last place might have been better. Or, maybe not, he amended as he peeked around, spotting the little power meter. Because at least at the last place, he'd never had to worry about the power going out. What kind of place switched to generators at night?

He snorted to himself. The same kind of place, he supposed, that was quick to cover up any wrong doings, and was willing to burn through security guards and money just to keep their secrets.

His thoughts felt calm, but his body betrayed the truth. His hands shook lightly as he explored the office - he jumped violently as a click of a button brought one of the heavy doors down, the noise echoing through the small room and the hallways beyond. He hit the button again - it wasn't much quieter going up. He tried the other - watching the light flicker on in the hallway outside of his door. Somehow, it was almost worse than the darkness beyond. He backed up, then sat in his chair, looking at the tablet in front of him. Less cameras to look at than the last place so, he guessed that was something.

He clicked on 1A, and felt his stomach drop. It was a close up of the stage - and all three animatronics were turned slightly, they seemed to be looking right at the camera. He was pretty sure that wasn't their normal position.

"Hey guys," Mike whispered, touching the screen lightly. Terror warred with longing and uncertainty. "I hope you remember me, or else this is going to be a very long night."

He sighed lightly and leaned back, flicking quickly through the other cameras. Not much to see but a bunch of poorly lit areas. The dining area, parts and services, the kitchen - that one was pitch black. And then one camera lighted directly on to the curtain of Pirate's cove.

 _Well,_ Mike thought, _that's ominous._

There was a sudden, violent ringing. Mike was up and out of his chair before he realized what it was. The phone sitting on the desk was ringing. Mike swallowed back his alarm and picked it up, partway through a greeting before he was interrupted by a very familiar voice.

_"Hello, hello?"_

"Scott?" Mike asked incredulously. But, just as before, it seemed that all he was hearing was old recordings. But it was definitely the very same man who'd guided Mike's nights, ten years ago. Hearing the voice again gave Mike an odd pang he couldn't quite name. There was something familiar about all of this - terrifyingly, sickeningly, _comfortably_ familiar. And then the knot twisted, as Scott went on. He'd been the previous security guard, Mike was sure of it. Which meant that he was dead now. He'd never actually met the man in person, but he still felt a stab of grief at the loss.

He set the camera back to the stage - they weren't looking at it any longer - and settled back to listen to Scott's message. It was almost funny - the warnings, the disclaimer, and perhaps most of all, the fact that they were still using the excuse of 'the animatronics will think you're an endoskeleton without a suit.' As if that had ever been true. Mike scowled near the end of the call, though, when Scott mentioned what - apparently - had been dubbed the 'bite of '87.' So nice of them, to give his life-changing, traumatic attack a _name. Dicks,_ he mentally snarled, slapping the receiver down and ending the recording. He felt a stab of regret almost immediately - hopefully, there wasn't anything else important to be said.

Mike leaned forward when, just as Scott's message cut off, the camera screen suddenly cut to static. Frowning, he tapped away from the stage and then back. That fixed the static - but that became the least of Mike's concerns. Freddy and Chica stood still on stage, but Bonnie was nowhere to be found.

The game was on. He only hoped the rules were the same.

* * *

 

He followed Bonnie as the rabbit wandered the restaurant. He didn't seem to be making a beeline for the office. Instead, he wandered the dining room for a bit then moved to the hall to stand threateningly for awhile before going back to the dining room. Every now and then, Mike would hear a low 'dum da dum dum' noise, as if the rabbit were singing. Mike watched Bonnie for awhile, switching the cameras as the rabbit moved. Then, realizing he should, he flipped the camera back to the stage.

Now Freddy stood alone.

In a panic, Mike began flipping through the camera feeds, until finally he found Chica. She was in the dining room, head turned unnaturally far to the side, eyes peering right at the camera. Mike shivered, but tried not to panic more. She wasn't at his door, yet. He had time before she came that close. Probably. Giving Chica one last glare, he went back on the hunt for Bonnie. Only to realize the rabbit was nowhere to be seen. He checked again - the feeds weren't the clearest pictures - and the hairs on the back of his neck rose straight up when he still couldn't find Bonnie.

He looked to his left, to the pitch black hallway beyond his door. Hand shaking violently, he reached out and tapped the light. 

Only to be met with Bonnie's black, beady-eyed stare.

Mike screamed and tried to push himself away, but he was too slow. The rabbit reached out with a hand and wrapped it around Mike's waist. The size difference wasn't quite enough that the rabbit could fit his entire hand around Mike, but it _was_ enough that, with that grip, Bonnie could lift him. And that's what the rabbit did, lifting Mike up and closer to him, bringing him so close that Mike could have licked Bonnie's nose.

It felt as if the blood in his body was just gone, every hair standing on end and eyes going so wide it almost hurt. His breathing came in short, harsh gasps, and he was so frozen he couldn't even fight back. His head gave a painful twinge, and his vision filled with the sight of white teeth.

Lunging at him. The pain, the crunch, the screaming. He was screaming again, the sound uncontrollable and feral. And all at once he _could_ fight - he thrashed and kicked and punched because he couldn't go through that again, because if he didn't the animatronic would _bite_ him and there's no way he'd live again and -

He was on the ground. He couldn't remember being released, or the fall, or how long he'd been there. But he was curled in tight on himself, one hand cradling his head as it pulsated with pain, entire body shaking violently. He tried to pry his eyes open, only managing to get slivers of vision. He expected to see blood or bone or brain matter, but there was nothing.

No, no he hadn't been bitten again. He'd only remembered - the rabbit, the teeth, the terror. Flashbacks. He let out a groaned sob, letting his eyes squeeze shut again.

After some time, he became aware of _something_ near him. And then, a soft but repetitive _thump thump thump_ against his side. With a whimper, Mike forced his eyes open again. If he hadn't been suddenly _exhausted_ and in a great deal of pain, he might have screamed again. But instead, he could only look in shock.

Bonnie was crouched next to him - eyes the normal white and sort of wide, staring at him. The repetitive thump was Bonnie's hand - which he was currently patting Mike with, again and again. But when the animatronic noticed Mike looking at him, he pulled his hand away, still staring.

"Are you alright?" The rabbit spoke, it's voice deep but soft, even with the trace of mechanics underlying it, "I'm - I'm real sorry. I didn't realize it was you, sorry for scaring you so badly."

"You remember me?" Mike was able to ask, his voice raspy as he spoke. He tried to shift, but the pain in his head made him grimace and stop. He only hoped it would pass sooner rather than later.

"'course I do," Bonnie said, "I can't say I've ever met any other adults that I liked." The rabbit paused. "You do look - different, somehow, though."

"'s been ten years," Mike muttered, "anyone would. You look pretty different too"

"Oh," was Bonnie's succinct reply. He didn't say anything further, and Mike let his eyes close again. He took a few, deep breaths. It wasn't a pleasant sensation, but it was helping to calm his heart and ease his nerves. And the sooner they calmed down, the sooner the migraine would fade. "You can get up now, if you want - I promise I won't hurt you," Bonnie suddenly continued.

"Can't," Mike responded, "migraine. Just… just give me a - a minute, kay?"

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry," Bonnie said again, before falling quiet. Mike had the brief, wild thought that maybe this was all some sort of giant dream. Maybe he really was dead now, and this was the sweet ending his brain had decided to provide. But, if this was supposed to be a good thing, then tacking on the migraine seemed like a real dick move. No, no, it was probably real. He thought back to the Bonnie he'd known before - this Bonnie, he guessed, at least mostly. Even without speaking, once they'd liked him, they'd seemed gentle. It certainly matched the situation now.

The migraine was blessedly short. After only a little while longer, Mike felt it move to the background. He still didn't feel good, but he did feel better. And he was able to push himself up into a sitting position without it getting worse again. As he did, he saw that Bonnie was looking out into the darkness of the right door. As Mike moved though, the rabbit looked at him again, ears straightening a bit.

"What's your name, anyway? I don't think you ever said," Bonnie asked, once Mike had gotten settled into a comfortable position.

"It's Mike."

"Mike," Bonnie repeated, his jaw working a bit as if he were testing it out. Then his head shifted to the side, and his face moved into a robot' s approximation of a frown. "Has that always been your name? My systems say - differently."

"Oh," Mike said, rubbing the back of his neck, "at the old place, I used uh, a fake name. Jeremy. If you have some of those old recognition programs, they were probably built off the Fazbear database so, that'd be why."

"Why? That's kind of - strange, and a little suspicious," Bonnie said, still frowning.

"It's a long story. But I promise, it's not because I'm a bad guy or anything. I just - like to keep some distance from my family name," Mike said. Bonnie studied him for a minute, and as the time passed, Mike felt uneasy. But, eventually, the rabbit nodded.

"Okay then," Bonnie said, "are you feeling better, now?"

"Better," Mike agreed. Not good, but better. The migraine had faded to a dull ache deep behind his eyes. Much more manageable. Bonnie's ears perked again, and Mike realized that was the animatronic's _happy_ look.

"Good. I'm glad you've come back - it gets kinda lonely around here. Even with the others." Bonne paused, looking towards the desk, "times almost up, I'll have to go back to stage. You're the security guard now, though, right? So you'll come back tomorrow?"

"If you promise not to scare me again," Mike said. Despite the experience and the lingering, pricking anxiety, Mike found himself smiling lightly.

"I won't, I promise!" Bonnie said, pushing up to his full height as the alarm clock began to ring. "And I'll take you to see the others, so they'll know not to scare you, either. Or, uh, you know - worse."

"Will they listen to you?" Mike asked, suddenly nervous again. He trusted Bonnie - even he was surprised at how easy the trust came, now that they'd gotten through their bumpy reunion. But he was not nearly so sure about the others. He'd never met Foxy (or was it Mangle, here?) or Chica, not like he had Bonnie and Freddy. And, if he were honest, even Freddy still worried him.

"Of course! They're my friends!" Bonnie said, "you don't have to worry. This won't be like before. Promise!"

Despite himself, Mike gave Bonnie a slightly shaky smile. "Okay," He told the rabbit, "then, I'm putting my trust in you Bonnie. And I'll see you tomorrow."

Even though his face didn't - couldn't - change much, Mike could tell that the look Bonnie was giving him was warm. The animatronic waved as he left the office, and Mike watched as he vanished into the dark of the hallway.

It hadn't been a _great_ reintroduction to the night shift at Freddy's, but it certainly could have been considerably worse. Mike got to his feet, rubbing at his head.

He only hoped Bonnie was right and that this time would be different.


	7. The Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike meets the rest of the crew - and some meetings go better than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick head's up - I've done some minor edits to the work. Nothing has changed in terms of plot or any details. I adjusted the summary - and went back and made some name corrections. Mostly, I just had the name of the original Diner wrong.
> 
> Thanks as always for your kind words, kudos, and views. We're getting into the less-action, more-interaction meat of things now. My writing process is essentially, I start out with scenes I want to write and then connect them. So updates may slow just a little while I craft the next few chapters. But no worries! I know where I'm going and where i want to end up, so this fic will keep on keeping on. 
> 
> Finally, please enjoy the chapter

Things in the restaurant looked much the same the following night. Mike walked in, locking the door behind him, and then took a quick look around. Pirate's Cove was closed still, and the other three animatronics were standing on stage, glassy eyes looking at nothing. Mike would like to say that the night before had eased all of his worries, but that'd be a lie. Looking up at the animatronics still made his stomach twist into a nervous knot, and he moved to head to his office as quickly as possible. He did manage, however, to pause and give the stage a little wave, not surprised when none of them responded. He glanced down at his watch. 11:45, just as before. Plenty of time to settle in before they woke up for the night.

Once he settled into the office, he did a quick peek of all the cameras. Everything looked calm, quiet, and normal. If this new Freddy's was anything like the old, second shift likely meant more active animatronics. But then, did he even have to worry about that any longer? With Bonnie on his side, would the others bother him? Bonnie certainly hadn't thought so.

Mike was proud to say he only  _ sort  _ of jumped when the phone rang. He threw it on speaker and let it go, hardly listening to it. He heard enough to know that he was right - night two meant more activity. Beyond that, there wasn't much of import in the phone call. It clicked off, going silent.

"Hi Mike! Is your phone call all done?" A voice called from down the hallway. Mike jumped slightly, flicking his camera feed back to the stage. Sure enough, Freddy and Chica stood alone. Bonnie, then. Of course. Mike smiled lightly.

"Yeah, all done. You can come down if you want, Bonnie," Mike called back. Without further invite needed, he heard the large, steady  _ pat pat  _ of the rabbit's furred feet, heading in his direction. Bonnie peeked in a moment later, ears perked up happily.

"You did come back, I was worried you might not," Bonnie said, moving carefully into the room. It wasn't an especially roomy fit, but Mike didn't really mind. He still wasn't sure about the others, but Mike liked Bonnie, and even he was surprised at how much more relaxed he felt with the rabbit animatronic nearby.

"I told you I would," Mike said, glancing at the camera feed, "and thanks for the heads up, down the hall."

"I didn't want to scare you again," Bonnie said, turning his head slightly to look at the camera feed as well. "Oh! Looks like Chica's awake!" Mike looked quickly, seeing that Bonnie was right - Chica had moved off stage sometime in the last  _ like half second what the hell?  _ "You should come meet her, Mike. I think she'd really like you!"

"I dunno," Mike said, frowning, "it's - I don't know how I feel about going out there. Leaving the office. And are you sure it'll be alright? What if she does - you know - attack me or something?"

"We're not like those plastic pieces of garbage," Bonnie said. Mike looked at him quickly, surprised by the rabbit's venomous retort. He also, probably wisely, bit back his own response that actually, they had all been  _ exactly  _ like those 'plastic pieces of garbage' once. Bonnie tilted his head, jaw opening slightly as he actually  _ sighed. _

"Okay, we  _ are, _ " He amended, "but not towards you. I already told them, you're my friend. And they said they'd leave you alone. And Chica really likes making new friends. Just, you know, it's usually kids." He paused. "But, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, Mike. I could bring her here? If that's any better?"

Mike glanced at the camera feed, then grasped the tablet in his hand, mostly to try to hide the way the appendage was shaking lightly. Bonnie had protected him once, and had comforted him just the night before. Bonnie had no reason to lie - if he wanted Mike dead, he only had to play the game. He wouldn't have to put in the effort of  _ tricking  _ Mike. Hell, Bonnie could have killed him the night before. He nearly had, before he'd recognized Mike. All that to say, he had no reason to distrust Bonnie. And if this actually worked and Mike could actually become friendly with all of the animatronics, then this would become the easiest, and possibly best, job in existence. So, finally, he nodded.

"Yeah - yeah, why don't you go invite her in? So we can meet properly?"  _ Somewhat on my own terms,  _ Mike added mentally. It was enough for Bonnie, who gave him that same, straight eared happy look.

"Alright! We'll be back in the shake of a rabbit tail. Hold tight, okay?" Bonnie said, before turning and leaving the room. Mike watched him go, hoping that inviting  _ two  _ animatronics into his office wasn't a mistake.

_ Enough,  _ he scolded himself,  _ you've made the decision to trust him, so trust him.  _ He took a breath and flipped through the camera feeds as he waited. He paused at Pirate Cove - looks like it was Foxy hidden behind it. Although less so now - the curtain was parted just slightly, and Mike could only just make out the furred snout and peering eyes. It made him nervous - hopefully Foxy was on Bonnie's side, too.

"We're coming in, Mike!" Bonnie's voice called from the right doorway, a few minutes later.  _ Well, here goes nothing,  _ Mike thought.

"Okay." At Mike's agreement, Bonnie poked his head through, then moved into the office, carefully picking his way through as to not knock anything over. And, soon after, Chica's frame filled the doorway. Mike had to admit, he much preferred this version of Chica than the almost-sexualized Toy version, but she was also certainly more frightening up close. She was looking down at him, and from that angle Mike could see her endoskeletal second row of teeth. He tried not to visibly grimace as he looked back up at her - it took some effort, but he even managed a smile.

"Hi Mike," she said. Her voice was soft and cut through with much more static than Bonnie's. It almost made her words difficult to make out. Mike wondered if she'd been designed that way on purpose, or if it was simply the result of neglect. "Bonnie's been talking about you non-stop - it's nice to meet you."

"It's good to meet you too, Chica. Officially." To Mike's surprise, the chicken animatronic actually laughed at that. It was a bit unnerving - she opened her mouth and the laugh played out like a laugh track. But it seemed genuine, so far as Mike could tell. He gave a nervous laugh of his own and glanced at Bonnie. The rabbit animatronic saw him looking and lifted a paw, giving Mike a thumbs up.

"So what do you do in here, exactly?" Chica asked, moving over a bit more to look at the desk. Mike fought the urge to scoot out of her way. "Oh, look at all the cameras. More than I realized." She leaned over a bit more and clicked a button to change the feed. "Even the kitchen? You can't actually see anything."

"That one's audio only," Mike told her.

"Well, that explains a lot. Guess I'm not as sneaky as I thought. I never bother to be quiet in there," Chica said. She made a mechanical noise, something like a hum. Mike watched her, slipping over closer to the left door, as she looked more through the cameras. Despite her frightening appearance, he was finding he quite liked Chica. She was calm and seemed rather friendly. And, as Bonnie had suggested, she didn't at all seem aggressive towards him. Curiously, he glanced at his hands. There was no tremor at all. He felt, if he dare say it, fairly relaxed around the two animatronics. Now that they weren't trying to kill him, Mike could even understand why kids liked them so much.

"AHOY!" A grinding, mechanical voice suddenly rang out, right at Mike's side - coming from the left doorway. Mike screamed as a tall, rust-colored figure burst into the room, harsh electronic snarls coming from its maw. Mike threw himself further into the room, stopping only when large, furred paws caught him and pulled him further from the figure. Which was now standing at the door, choppy laughs echoing from it.

"Foxy!" Bonnie scolded, big hands hiding Mike away.  _ Well, so much for the calm _ , Mike thought bitterly, pressing his trembling hands into Bonnie's fur. He took a few deep breaths, bracing himself for the twinge of pain in his head that would signal an oncoming migraine. With the way Bonnie was keeping him from sight, he wasn't especially worried about a follow-up attack from the wayward fox. He took another breath - his head seemed alright, for the moment. Yet another breath. The panic didn't build, just left him feeling out of breath and shaky. But still in control. Progress.

"Your lad's a right coward, he is, Bon!" The fox said, jaw partly opened as he continued to laugh. His voice was much rougher than the other two, sounding so staticy-y and harsh that it gave the impression that every word was being forced through his voice box. What he'd said made Mike want to shove the words right back in.

"I'm not a coward!" He snapped, moving slightly to look around Bonnie, "any sane person would scream and run if a sharp-toothed, withered fucker like you suddenly lunged at them!"

"Hey, language," Bonnie interjected.

"Oh?" Foxy asked. He looked at Mike, jaw clicking up and down mechanically. "Ya sure you're not afraid of ol -" he paused briefly, crouching down until he was practically  _ crawling,  _ "cap'n-" he slipped a bit closer, muzzle slipping past Bonnie and getting close to Mike. Mike grit his teeth and forced himself to stand still, knowing that if nothing else, Bonnie was staring down at them intently and  _ probably  _ wouldn't let Foxy actually attack him. Then, Foxy snapped his jaws, the sound ringing through the silent office. "Foxy?" He finished with a gleaming snarl.

A cold chill went down Mike's spine, and it felt  _ wrong _ , but he managed to hold himself still. Although could he really be blamed if one hand tightened its grip on the rabbit animatronic? Foxy's jaws were close, but he hadn't actually bitten Mike - hadn't even been  _ that  _ close. The fox was testing him. For what, Mike wasn't sure, but he knew it was true. So Mike took a deep breath, looked Foxy in the eye, reached out, and patted the exposed beams on Foxy's snout.

"Not in the least," Mike lied.

Foxy's eye blinked once - slowly, the part glitching slightly as it moved - and then the fox's jaw flapped open as he let out a loud, raspy guffaw. The fox pulled away and straightened, rising back to his full height.

"Changed me mind," he announced, "I like this one! He's got guts, he does."

"Obviously," Bonnie said, "He  _ did  _ come back to this place, even after what happened to him at the last place." He shifted slightly so he could look down at Mike. "You alright?" He asked, his voice a bit softer.

"Yeah," Mike reassured him, before looking towards Foxy, "but Foxy? Do me a favor and don't do that again. It was kind of a d-" Mike caught Bonnie's eye, then corrected himself, "Uh, jerk move."

"It was pretty mean," Chica agreed, "he thought you were going to eat him."

"Him? He'd hardly be a proper meal," Foxy said, "'sides, he'd gum up my insides." He sniffed, looking down at Mike. "Ye be okay with me, Mikey. For the momen'. But ye best be staying nice to me friends, or I'll do a lot worse than spook ye. Understand?"

"Understood," Mike said, "I'll do you one better though. I'll even be nice to you." Foxy's jaw fell open in another laugh.

"Ye got yourself a deal, lad."

* * *

 

The rest of the night passed in relative peace. Bonnie hung out in the office as the hours ticked by, but both Chica and Foxy wandered in and out. As Mike wasn't fighting for his life, and the animatronics weren't trying to catch the guard off-guard, there wasn't much to keep any of them busy. At one point, Bonnie offered to play a song or two for Mike, who'd quickly agreed. As it turned out, Bonnie had real, natural talent - the mini show was much better than the forced, fake thing they performed during the day.

As six am approached, Mike and Bonnie had settled into a comfortable silence. Mike had taken to peering through the camera feeds, just for old time's sake, and Bonnie watched over his shoulder. Mike looked to the animatronic, though, when Bonnie suddenly straightened, ears going straight up.

"Uh, I think I'd better go," Bonnie said, "gonna have to get back to the stage soon, and I think someone wants to talk with you. It's kinda, uh, uncomfortable being around him though so. Yeah. I'll see you again tomorrow, right?"

"As long as you're not leaving me to be eaten by an animatronic I've never met before," Mike said. He'd meant it to be a joke, but it came from him in a nervous wobble. Bonnie was already halfway out the door, but at that he stopped.

"No, no, of course not," he said, "he won't hurt you. Uhm, it's that strange golden Freddy."

_ Jeremy,  _ Mike realized, eyes widening. "Oh," He said, "yeah - okay. Well, then yes, I'll see you tomorrow, Bonnie. Have a good day, alright?" Bonnie nodded, giving him a cheerful look, and then headed away from the office.

And then, almost as soon as the rabbit was out of sight, Jeremy was there. He mostly looked the same - the slouched, eyeless golden bear, although this one appeared to be simply an empty suit - no wires poked from its frame any longer. The air around Mike became warm and heavy - damp. It was as uncomfortable a feeling as ever, but despite it all, Mike smiled and slipped from his chair to sit on the ground in front of Golden Freddy.

_ "Thank you, Mikey. Thank you for coming back. And for giving them a chance."  _ the voice echoed in Mike's mind, and it made him feel warm - as if hearing a loved one for the first time in years. Which, he supposed, he was.  _ "I've missed you." _

"I've missed you too, Jeremy," Mike said quietly, fondly. "And of course I came back - didn't I promise you I would?"

_ "That was a long time ago. I would not have blamed you, if you had changed your mind." _

"Well, I didn't. And, you know, I'm glad I came back. It's nothing like it was before." Mike laughed lightly. "I think I can even see myself making a career here."

_ "It is good for the others, too. The human interaction warms their spirits. You will be good for each other, I think." _

"It'll be much better than last time, at least," Mike agreed. They fell into a comfortable silence, looking at each other - at least the best they could.

_ "There is more, but that is a conversation for another time, I think. I just - wanted to see you again. So you know that I'm here. I cannot come to you physically often, but I'll be keeping an eye out." _

"Just knowing you're around is enough for me."

There was no visible sign of it, but the atmosphere of the room seemed to lighten. Mike knew Jeremy was smiling.

_ "Be patient with them, Mikey."  _ he said, the form of Golden Freddy beginning to fade.  _ "They need you."  _ They needed him? Mike found that hard to believe - the animatronics certainly seemed more than capable of taking care of themselves. But there had to be more to the story, Mike realized. It wasn't the first time Jeremy had mentioned helping them somehow. And if whatever it was, was something Mike could help with - then he owed that to Jeremy. He owed that to Bonnie. He  _ wanted  _ to do it, for all of them. And so he nodded, eyes straining now to make out the bear's form.

"I will," Mike said quietly as Jeremy vanished entirely, and the alarm clock began to ring. 

* * *

 

"Ye don't have to worry 'bout ol Freddy," Foxy said. Although he'd been all bravado during their first meeting, it seemed that Foxy had taken a liking to Mike. When the guard arrived for his shift the next evening, Foxy was already in the office. Mike had found him curled up, cat-like, on the security desk. Everything except the tablet for the cameras had been knocked to the ground, clearing just enough room for the lanky animatronic. His good leg was hanging off the edge of the desk, swinging slightly back and forth. It'd been a very odd, pretty startling sight - but Mike had relaxed quickly when Foxy had simply greeted him with a raspy "ahoy!"

Now, Mike was settled in his chair, Foxy was still curled on his desk, and Bonnie was sitting on the floor, leaned against the doorway, plucking at strings on his guitar. Bonnie had suggested wandering into the restaurant together - mostly to see Freddy. Foxy had taken the idea and latched onto it, now trying to convince Mike. Freddy, apparently, didn't much feel like coming to the office. Mike, for his part, still couldn't shake the nervousness that came with the idea of leaving the office.

"After all, I be the scariest thing in here, and I like ye just fine. Bon'll be with you, ain't nothing for you to worry 'bout," Foxy added.

"Don't pressure him," Bonnie said, giving his guitar a twang, "Freddy knows you'll come see him when you're ready Mike, don't worry about it."

"If ye coddle him, he'll never be ready! And that might be what the ol' bear be saying, but I know he really wants to see Mikey," Foxy responded.

"Do you  _ remember  _ the old place?" Bonnie asked, looking over at the fox, "we were ruthless. And Mike was right at the center of it - that wannabe rabbit nearly killed him  _ twice.  _ I don't blame him for being nervous."

"Best thing'd be to jump in the water with both feet then!" Foxy responded, his tone agitated.

"Hey guys? I'm sitting right here," Mike interjected weakly, causing both animatronics to look over at him. He tightened his grip on the arm of his chair when their heads moved with quick, mechanical twists, but he was pretty sure he'd managed to not show any outward flinch.

"Sorry," Bonnie said, "but don't let Foxy get to you. I mean, hopefully you'll be here a long time, right? Freddy will get his chance to see you again."

Mike frowned lightly, looking over towards Foxy. "You really think he wants to see me so badly?"

"Aye, did nothin' but ask questions about ye yesterday."

Mike tapped his fingers on the chair. Then he took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh. "Alright," he said, "okay. Bonnie, let's go see Freddy."

"Are you sure? Don't let Foxy bully you," Bonnie said, although he draped the guitar over his body and began to stand, looking towards Mike.

"No, it's fine. I'm sure. If not now, when, right?" Mike said, getting up from his seat. Bonnie nodded, his look cheerful as he gestured for Mike to follow him. With a breath, Mike did just that.

Freddy had wandered away from the stage, apparently. Bonnie paused, turning slightly to scan the dining room as they entered. Mike did as well, moving slightly closer to Bonnie. But they found Freddy shortly after - he was standing near a table, adjusting a few of the plates and hats sitting there. Ears perking, Bonnie walked over, gesturing for Mike to do the same.

"Freddy, I've brought Mike. He wanted to see you again," Bonnie said. At that, the bear straightened to his full height and lifted a hand, using it to straighten the bowtie at his neck. Mike couldn't help but smile - it was such a small, but human action.

"Mike," Freddy said. His voice was much clearer and smoother than it had been all those years ago. It rumbled in the air between them, smooth and deep - just about what a talking bear might sound like, Mike supposed. The bear began to turn in his direction. "I've been looking forward to seeing you again. I almost didn't-" As Freddy faced Mike, looking down at him, he paused. He tilted his head to the side in a slow motion, blinking once slowly.

Then, suddenly, his eyes went pitch black. " _ You! _ " He said, the single word echoing in a loud, mechanical roar.

"Bonnie?!" Mike asked in alarm, backing up away from the bear animatronic quickly.

"Freddy! What the heck?!" Bonnie responded, moving to put himself between Mike and the bear, throwing his hands up just in time to catch Freddy as he began to rush at Mike. The human in question took another panicked step back - but Bonnie had managed to keep Freddy in place. "Mike, go back to the office," Bonnie continued, "I'll handle this! Freddy, what's wrong with you? Calm down!" Mike hesitated for a second - then remembered that Bonnie was an animatronic as well and probably did have the situation well handled - before turning and sprinting away, back to the safety of the office.

Foxy lifted his head to look at Mike as the human ran into the office. Chica was in there now as well, Mike noted, it looked as if she and Foxy had been chatting. "Lad? What's the matter w' ye?" Foxy asked, taking in Mike's alarm.

"Freddy's the matter!" Mike responded, angling past Foxy to grab the tablet, "he took one look at me and freaked. He'd have torn me apart, if Bonnie hadn't been there to stop him!"

"That doesn't seem right," Chica said, "Freddy promised Bonnie he'd leave you be - we all did, that very first day."

"Aye, and the ol' bear might act tough, but I knew he was looking forward to seeing ye again, too. Sure you weren't imaginin' things, Mike?"

"I know what an angry animatronic looks like," Mike snapped, flipping the feed to the dining room, "see? Black eyes, angry noises - he's still fighting to get away from Bonnie!" Chica leaned over, letting out a small gasp when she saw the feed. At that, Foxy moved to look at it as well. "A little room to breathe, please!" Mike said sharply, suddenly feeling claustrophobic with both animatronics so close.

"Sorry Mike," Chica said, leaning away a bit, "I'm going to go see if I can help. Foxy, you'll stay in here?"

"Aye," Foxy agreed, watching as Chica left quickly without another word, "don't ye worry too much, Mikey. Freddy's the strongest of us lot, but he ain't getting past all three of us. He'll reset come the mornin' shift, and we'll see what went wrong." Foxy paused. "As extra measure, ye might wanna throw down yer right door."

Mike leaned over quickly and tapped the button, wincing as the right door fell with a resounding bang. He looked back at the camera, but after a second Foxy leaned over and flipped it so it was looking at the empty cove.

"Yeh'll only worry yerself sick if you watch," Foxy said, "don't worry none. Best chance he had to get ye was when ye were right in front o' him. Yer safe now, pirates honor." Mike took a breath, then looked at Foxy. The fox was staring at him, and after a second Mike nodded. He went over to his chair and sat, stiffly at first, but then he sighed and relaxed himself into it. What on earth had gone wrong? A younger Mike might have assumed it was all some trick to get him in the bear's reach, but he knew better. Freddy had clearly had every intention of being nice - but when they'd made eye contact, it was if a flip had switched. A software error, maybe?

It stung, he realized. It shouldn't have - it was probably best practice to assume all animatronics were out for his blood until proven otherwise. But, nervous as he'd been, Mike really had - deep down - expected Freddy to be just fine. Even when the bear was broken and worn down, he'd gone out of his way to help protect Mike. It'd only been for a night, of course, but Mike could remember it detail by detail. Didn't Freddy remember it too?

Mike watched the power with a worried eye as the next hour passed. He didn't feel comfortable putting the right door up until one of the others gave the all clear. But keeping it down was draining his power quickly, and Mike had no idea what would happen when it ran out. In theory, nothing. Bonnie and Chica weren't likely to let Freddy anywhere near the office while the bear was determined to end Mike. If Freddy happened to get there anyway, Mike felt somewhat confident that Foxy would defend him. But it still made him extraordinarily nervous. Because what if something  _ did  _ happen once the power ran out? What if the dark made Mike an easier target for Freddy, despite the others?

It was just a little over an hour later when Bonnie returned. Mike felt almost instant relief when the rabbit ducked his ears through the left doorway. Even through his robotic face, Mike thought he could see worry. Maybe it was the way one of the rabbit's ears drooped slightly, or something about the way Bonnie held himself. But when Bonnie looked to Mike, he gave the guard a thumbs up.

"It's alright, Freddy's calmed down now. He wanted me to tell you he was sorry - he didn't mean for that to happen," Bonnie said, reaching up to tug slightly on one of his ears. "He doesn't know why it did - neither do I. Mike, I'm really sorry. If I'd known, I never would have suggested going out there."

"I know," Mike said, "it's alright. I'm okay and, hey, no harm done, right? You can tell Freddy it's okay." Mike slouched a bit in his chair, leaning over to open the right door. Neither of the other two moved to stop him, so he assumed it was alright now. "I wish we knew what went wrong, though. I know I was nervous - I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, still. But I would like the chance to talk with Freddy again."

"We'll be figuring it out," Foxy said, "it'll be something we can fix, I'm sure o' that. Just gotta think positive. Yer shift's near over, lad. Ye go on home, and leave Freddy to his pals. Mayhap tomorrow you can try out the ol' bear again."

"And if not, you'll just have to keep your distance. Just for now. But I think Foxy's right - we'll figure something out!" Bonnie added. He didn't seem as certain as Foxy did, but Mike supposed thinking positive was the first step. If they could do it, so could he.

Mike leaned over, mindlessly tapping the alarm clock just as it began to blare. Six am, come again. He looked at the two animatronics, then smiled.

"Alright, then I'm putting my trust in you two. Good luck," he said.  _ After all,  _ he thought,  _ tomorrow is another day. _


	8. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and his newfound friends discover a way to get around Freddy's little problem. However, that's not the only thing Mike discovers - and the second find is much more problematic.

"You're going to blindfold him?" Mike asked incredulously, looking back and forth from Chica to Foxy. "You really think that'll work? And is Freddy okay with that? Seems kind of uncomfortable." They were gathered in the office, Chica and Foxy had come to see Mike once he'd gotten settled in. They'd almost immediately jumped into the current topic - blindfolding Freddy so that he and Mike could talk without issue.

"It was Freddy's idea," Chica said softly.

"Aye, he says 'e thinks it was a software malfunction. See, the ol' bear's always been the most maintained out o' all of us. They like to keep 'im working. So when they scrapped the toys, they used a lot of Toy Freddy's parts to fix Freddy up. Freddy says he's got some o' them old recognition pieces. Thinks you must look like a criminal from the database, and it makes his systems haywire," Foxy added.

That actually did make a lot of sense, to Mike. Of course, he wasn't about to tell them that he probably  _ did  _ look like one of the criminals in that database. Although Mike thought it was much more likely that  Freddy's recognition programs made him able to remember William's appearance most clearly amongst the animatronics. So it likely  _ was _ a software problem with the recognition pieces, but it wasn't that Mike looked too similar to a criminal in the database - Freddy was seeing William's likeness in Mike. Seeing the face of his killer.  _ That'd probably be enough to make anyone freak,  _ Mike thought.

"And he does think it'll work," Chica continued, "he thinks visually seeing your face is what's causing the malfunction. If he can't see your face, it should all be fine. It's not a great solution, but it's something for now."

"Bon's getting the blindfold on as we speak. I'll be takin' ye down to see them, if yer up for it," Foxy said. He wasn't pressuring him this time, Mike noticed, guess the fox had learned his lesson.

"Well, it's worth a try, right?" Mike said, "and you all will be there? In case we're wrong and he tries to get me again?"

"Yep, we'll be standing by," Chica agreed. Mike nodded, about as reassured as he could be. He got to his feet, looking at the two.

"Well, let's go then."

They found Bonnie and Freddy on stage, Bonne having just finished tying what looked like a section of curtain around Freddy's eyes. The rabbit turned to look at them, giving a little wave as they approached. At the sound of their steps, Freddy turned as well. It was almost unnerving, not being able to see the bear's eyes. Bonnie looked to Freddy, then back to Mike, giving the human a small nod. Mike took a second to look at the other two animatronics flanking him - with a brief wonder of when his life had gotten so weird - and then stepped forward, looking up at Freddy.

"Hey, Freddy," Mike said, "how're you feeling?" 

Freddy tilted his head, and then his robotic mouth moved just slightly, angling in a close-ish approximation of a smile. Mike hadn't known any of them could even do that.

"Good evening, Mike. I know Bonnie said as much, but let me apologize for what happened yesterday. I hope you know it was out of my control - not that it's an excuse, but, all the same," Freddy said, "and, to answer your question, I feel quite well, thank you. It seems we were correct - if I cannot see you, there's no reaction in my system."

"I know, and it's alright. No harm done. And, hey, we'll try to figure out something better," Mike said, "I'd rather you didn't have to blind yourself, or even look away, every time I was around. It's hardly fair to you."

"I appreciate the effort, thank you."

"Also, I wanted to thank you, Freddy," Mike said, "I've never forgotten what you and Bonnie did, all those years ago. With how bad things were, I've no doubt that I'd be dead, if I'd been left alone that night."

"Well, Bonnie said you were a good sort. And, to be quite honest with you, I relished the opportunity to show those plastic brats what was what. They felt quite confident, you see, since they got to be the face of the restaurant." Freddy's mouth widened into an eerie grin, and Mike forced himself to stand still, knowing it wasn't for him. "It was quite nice to remind them who, exactly, was in charge." As quick as it'd come, the grin vanished, his mouth settling back into its normal position. "Although, it may have had a hand in Toy Bonnie injuring you. I apologize for that, as well."

"Don't," Mike said, waving a hand he knew the bear couldn't see, "those animatronics had it in for me starting day one - Toy Bonnie especially. He'd have taken that opportunity, with or without you guys. My mistake for getting too close."

"I'm glad he did not kill you."

"Yeah, me too," Mike responded, laughing.

"Bonnie told me he would like to explore the restaurant with you - so I will not keep you. I am glad to know this method works, however. Mike, if there is anything you need, you are always welcome to find me. You are a part of the Fazbear family, now. We take care of our own," Freddy said.

"I - thank you," Mike said, and if he were a bit choked up, it was only because he wasn't the best at moderating his emotions any more. "That goes for you all, too. I know you're all big tough animatronics but, if there's anything I can do for you all, you only have to let me know."

Because they were his family now, too. The only one he had, and he'd be damned if he let anything take that away. 

* * *

 

Mike jumped violently as his hip connected with a chair, sending it crashing to the ground.  _ Forget the animatronics,  _ he thought bitterly, reaching down to right the chair,  _ this place is practically a giant booby trap, I'm surprised more people don't get hurt just walking around the damn place! _

"You okay?" Bonnie asked, pausing to turn his head back and look at Mike. The security guard had allowed his animatronic friend to convince him to explore the restaurant, just as Freddy had mentioned. It'd been a hard sell, but eventually Mike had agreed. He was curious, after all. It'd be interesting to see the restaurant through his own eyes, as well as find the little nooks and crannies the cameras couldn't see.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mike said, "but I think I better use this thing after all." He pulled the flashlight from his belt and clicked it on. "or else, after all this time, it'll be a chair that finally does me in." He appreciated that Bonnie let out a short laugh at that.

They were currently wandering down a hallway, the cobwebs lining it telling Mike that it wasn't used often. Considering how small the restaurant already was, Mike was surprised that there was  _ any  _ section they didn't use. Then again, maybe they were just too cheap to decorate all of it. At least it left something interesting for he and Bonnie to check out.

A sudden, loud grinding sound caught Mike's attention. He looked quickly to Bonnie, who was taking a couple of steps back, head tilted in confusion as well. He was facing a doorway, and Mike watched the rabbit blink a couple of times.

"I can't go in there," Bonnie said, turning to look at Mike, "that's strange - I just  _ can't.  _ Like my programming won't let me."

"That's odd," Mike agreed, walking over to stand next to the animatronic. He leaned a bit forward, looking into the room, but he couldn't see much. "What do you think is in there?"

"I dunno," Bonnie said, "but let's leave it. If we're not supposed to be in there, there's probably a good reason."

Mike frowned, then shrugged lightly. "I wanna take a quick look. If you can't go in there, neither can anyone else. And who knows, maybe there's a treasure trove of Fazbear tokens in there or something."

"I really don't think you should go in there, Mike," Bonnie said. The guard looked over, surprised to see the rabbit animatronic wringing his hands, ears drooped just slightly in a clear sign of nervousness, "what if there's - I dunno. A robber in there? Or bats or something? None of us can follow - what if you get hurt and I can't help you?"

"It's an abandoned room in the back of Freddy's, Bonne, there aren't going to be any robbers," Mike said, giving his friend his best reassuring smile, "I guess the possibility exists I trip and impale myself on something, but I promise I'll be careful. And I won't be long, alright? I'm just curious."

"If you're sure," Bonnie responded, eyes swiveling to the doorway, "just be careful. And quick. There are still cool, unexplored places we can look at  _ together _ ."

"You got it," Mike said, putting a hand on the doorway, "just a minute or two. And I'll be able to hear you the whole time." With that, he flicked on his flashlight and entered the room. He turned the light all over the room, frowning slightly as he walked a bit further in. It was - well, pretty disappointing, actually. The room was empty except for a single, overturned table and a few decrepit posters. "Nothing in here anyway," Mike called back. He turned to leave, but as he did, his light caught a glint. "Oh, wait, hold on," he said, turning back to the room. He followed the glint, eyes widening as he got closer to its source.

It was an animatronic. An old, but  _ familiar  _ looking animatronic. It was clearly a rabbit - and Mike could see some similarities between it and Bonnie. It reminded him of Golden Freddy - its fur held the same tint, a worn-out greenish-yellow that was once almost gold. It was even slouched over in a position similar to Golden Freddy. Looking closer, Mike realized he knew this Bonnie model, although his memories of it were fuzzy. It had once stood on the same stage as Fredbear, back in the first Diner. Except, that didn't seem completely right either. Frowning, Mike crouched down closer, shining the light over the animatronic. He peered through a hole in its shell, confusion growing. It was an animatronic, for sure, but its insides looked strange. There wasn't much of an endoskeleton to be seen, and as Mike moved the light, he realized that was because all metal bits seemed to be pushed to the outside of the suit. It made a big, empty space inside. It almost seemed as if -

_ As if it's meant to be worn,  _ Mike realized with a gasp. He moved back from the animatronic quickly, remembering. It  _ was _ meant to be worn - or had been, at one time. He did remember this animatronic - it featured in one of his earliest memories. As a child, he'd watched in awe as his father climbed into the Bonnie suit,  _ becoming  _ Bonnie. He'd been thrilled to see one of the animatronics come to life - as real as any human. As an adult, though, it was a terrifying thought. He took another step back from the slumped rabbit. How much blood did the poor animatronic have on its hands?

"Bonnie, there's an animatronic in here," Mike called.

"What? Who is it? Are they awake?" Bonnie responded, alarm clear in his voice.

Who was it? That was a good question. Mike frowned, wracking his brain to remember. He was fairly sure that, at one point, the animatronic had just been Bonnie. But then the Bonnie he knew had been brought into the fold, and kids had taken to calling the older version - what? Yellow Bonnie, he thought. Or maybe even Golden Bonnie. But hadn't - yeah, his father had called the suit something specific.

_ Spring Bonnie,  _ Mike remembered in a burst of clarity. The springsuit yellow Bonnie.

"Mike?" Bonnie asked again, sounding worried.

"Sorry, yeah, I'm fine," Mike said. He looked at the yellow rabbit again, taking another step back towards the door. "Uhm, I don't know what you would call him - I, uh, I knew him as Spring Bonnie, though. And, no, I don't think he is. He seems completely unresponsive." Bonnie didn't respond to that right away. When he did speak, Mike felt a shiver go down his spine.

"Mike, get out of there," Bonnie said, a deep, rumbling tone to his voice. He didn't sound aggressive - but he did sound angry and more than a little worried. His reaction brought a million questions to Mike's mind, but it clearly wasn't the time to ask or argue.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Mike turned to leave the room.

"W-w-wait," a soft voice suddenly rasped, coming from the darkness behind him. Mike whipped around, bringing his flashlight up quickly, both to illuminate the bot and to be a weapon, if he needed one. Two white, animatronic eyes were staring at him, and the rabbit twitched slightly, but did not move otherwise. "Pleas-s-se wa-a-ait," it spoke again. Mike watched it a second more, flashlight beam shaking violently in his hand. Then, he turned and bolted from the room.

Bonnie was right at the doorway, taking step after step towards it, hitting the invisible force that wouldn't let him through. When he saw Mike, and the guard moved past the barrier, Bonnie reached out and grabbed him with both hands, pulling him further away from the door. Then, he put his hands on Mike's shoulders and leaned close, eyes twitching as he looked the human over.

"Are you o-o-okay? He didn't h-h-hurt you, did he?" Bonnie asked. Mike flinched at his glitchy tone and tried to pull back - but the rabbit's grip on him was strong.

"I'm alright, but Bonnie, you're a little too agitated to be this close," Mike stammered, trying to force back his nausea as he looked up at the rabbit.  _ It's just Bonnie, just Bonnie, he won't hurt you - he's just worried. _

Bonnie let go of him as if he'd been burned, blinking as he visibly forced himself to calm down.

"Sorry," He said, tugging at an ear, "I'm really sorry. I just - I know, who you're talking about. He's, uhm, h-he," he paused, face twitching slightly as he closed his eyes and tugged a bit more at his ear. Mike laid a hand on his arm, drawing his attention.

"I think I pieced it together," He said, "so you don't have to talk about it anymore. And try not to worry - he's just the suit, nothing else. All empty inside - I looked. And he's inactive anyway. Okay?"

"Okay," Bonnie's voice was soft, and Mike's heart ached for his friend. He decided to keep the fact that the yellow rabbit had spoken to himself - it'd only bother Bonnie more. And Mike was fairly certain the other rabbit really couldn't go anywhere. "Can we go look in other places, now?" Bonnie asked.

"Of course," Mike said, giving the animatronic a smile, "let's go poke around the prize counter. I wanna see if I can swipe any plushies." that got a laugh from Bonnie, who visibly relaxed a bit more.

"That sounds good," Bonnie agreed, turning to walk away. Mike followed, glancing briefly back over his shoulder. The room was dark and the doorway empty - but Mike's stomach felt unsettled. He swallowed hard, then looked forward and followed Bonnie.

* * *

 

"Freddy?" Mike saw the bear's head twitch up, one ear swiveling almost all the way around towards Mike. The guard took a slight step back, keeping his distance, just in case. As Freddy turned, the bear looked towards the ceiling, not meeting Mike's eyes. For a second, they stood there, both waiting on bated breath for something to happen. When nothing did, Mike relaxed. "Well, that works," he said.

"Indeed," Freddy responded, eyes still towards the ceiling, "this seems to prevent the issue. Was there something you needed, Mike?"

"Yeah, I actually wanted to ask you about something," Mike said. He'd argued with himself for a long time about this - but if anyone could give him answers, it was Freddy. And he seemed more likely to keep his calm - ironically. Still, Mike knew it was dangerous. He was alone - and if Freddy flipped a switch, he could be in a great deal of danger. But he needed to know. "But," Mike continued, "I'd like a favor, first. If you start to get upset at the subject, give me a heads up. We can stop talking about it and - well, no offense, but I'd like the opportunity to run if I need it."

"No offense taken," Freddy said, "Mike, please understand that I do not want to hurt you. I have an idea about why my program reacts so violently, but no idea yet how to fix it. I would much rather you were too careful, rather than injured. And so yes, of course, I will warn you to the best of my ability, if something is going wrong."

Mike nodded, then even smiled, feeling warmed by the animatronic's words. "Okay," he said, "so, Bonnie and I were exploring yesterday, and we came across this room. It's unused, and it looks like you guys can't cross into it."

"The safe room, yes," Freddy said, "I know of it - or at least the spot it sits. A place for employees to go, I believe, once doubling as a break room and a room for them to go if there was an - incident." Mike shivered lightly - knowing what sat in there now and how Freddy's worked in general, he could only imagine what 'incident' might mean.

"Right, yeah. So, the thing was, it wasn't empty," Mike said, his muscles tensing as he went on, "there was an animatronic in there. An old, withered, yellow rabbit. Uhm, my - I mean, I knew it as Spring Bonnie, when I was a kid."

Freddy didn't have the sort of violent reaction Mike had been afraid of - not like what Bonnie had been like, either. But he did freeze for a few seconds, and Mike was about ready to run when the bear let out a long sigh-like noise and began to speak again.

"Yes. Spring Bonnie is his preferred title. I did not know he was in there - but I cannot say I'm especially surprised. Was he alone?" Freddy asked.

"He was," Mike said, "he's in suit mode, I think, and there wasn't anything - or anyone - inside. I told Bonnie he was inactive, I thought he was, but - Freddy, he said something to me. He talked to me. Poorly, but still…"

"And?"

"And I - er, I ran. I got spooked, and Bonnie was worried, so -"

"I cannot blame you," Freddy said, "He would likely spook anyone. If he is in suit mode, I very much doubt he will be going anywhere. If he were able, he would likely have left the room already. Do you think you'll see him again?"

"Should I?" Mike asked, "I feel a little bad leaving, I think he was going to try and ask for help. But -" he paused, swallowing hard, "I'm almost sure I know what he must have been used for. And, if he can talk, like you guys can - I mean, is he haunted, then? Or is he something more sinister?"

"Good questions, and unfortunately none have an easy answer," Freddy said, "it is up to you whether you see him again, although I'd recommend keeping your distance, if you do. But Mike? No matter what you decide, please do not fix him. Do not bring him out of that room, for all of our sakes."

"Alright," Mike said, "I won't, you have my word." He still wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he did feel better knowing that at least one of the animatronics knew what was going on. "Thank you, Freddy."

"Of course, I hope I was some help."

Mike thought about the hidden room and the old animatronic through the rest of the night, and then well into the time he was supposed to be getting some sleep. He couldn't shake the image of the animatronic, withered and alone. He kept hearing its pleading 'wait,' and Mike's stomach twisted when he thought about how he'd run away instead. By the time he finally fell asleep, Mike had made a decision.

He had to go and see Spring Bonnie again.


	9. Old Friends and New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike catches up on his phone calls - and can't help but regret it. He also gets a feel for the personality of one Spring Bonnie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, as always, for your views, kudos, and kind comments! I appreciate every single one of you. Please enjoy!

A part of Mike wished he'd listened to the phone call yesterday. Another part of him desperately wished that he hadn't listened to it at all. He'd put it off - assuming that any warnings Scott might have would mean nothing to him now. And that much was still true. But Mike couldn't help but feel like if he'd just listened to the fourth message sooner, maybe he could have done - well. Something. Logically, he knew that was simply some sort of fucked up survivors guilt, but that didn't matter to the more emotional part of his brain.

He was standing in the parts and services room, alone, and was simultaneously surprised and not surprised at all to find it empty. Well, empty of what he'd been prepared to find. All that was in there were a couple of spare animatronic shells, some empty heads, and other various mechanical bits and pieces. There was no body, alive or otherwise. Scott, in his final message, had asked him to check the back room. It'd been a pipe dream for both of them, though. Scott was dead and clearly management had discovered that sometime between Scott's final shift and Mike's first. Which meant they'd cleaned up and bleached the carpet and all of those other things Fazbear Entertainment did to cover up any oopsies.

They'd missed a spot, though. There was a small blood stain in the carpet that, as Mike realized when he touched it, was still sticky to the touch.

Mike felt ill. He had known, from his first conversation with his boss, that Scott - the man who's recorded phone calls had guided Mike in the past - had died in the restaurant. Which meant, obviously, that he'd been killed by the animatronics. The very same ones Mike now called his friends. But hearing his last moment and seeing even this small amount of evidence made it all so much more real. He wondered - was Scott already dead when he was stuffed inside an empty suit? Or was it the stuffing that killed him? Who did it? Freddy seemed the most obvious choice, but Bonnie would be just as capable - any of them would be. Maybe it was a group effort.

_ Stop.  _ He told himself, shaking his head slightly. He  _ knew  _ all of this, it wasn't a  _ surprise.  _ His friends or not, the animatronics had not started out that way. Their close relatives had nearly killed Mike more than once.  _ They themselves  _ had tried their best, at first. The animatronics were not adult friendly - and night guards were their favorite prey. They were machines with semi-free will, guided on by the likely vengeful souls of children who had very good reason to hate adults. Hell, one of the first night guards to experience their ire was probably his father - AKA their  _ actual killer.  _ They did not have the same moral compass as Mike - if they had one at all, it was likely 'children good, adults bad, with very few exceptions.' Mike, himself, was one of those exceptions. He was not the rule. He couldn't very well hold this particular death against them - because this wasn't new news. He couldn't suddenly just treat them differently because he'd willfully ignored the truth up until he couldn't anymore. They wouldn't understand, they'd be hurt. Mike had to shake this off.

He had befriended them. He was safe with them. The best thing he could do was continue on as he'd been - because as long as he was alive and working here, no one else would be thrust into the position. He hadn't been able to stop Scott's death and he couldn't turn his back on his friends, but he  _ could  _ make sure no one else got hurt. He took a deep breath. They were his friends - he held the thought firmly in mind.

He jumped violently when he turned and found Bonnie standing at the Parts and Services door. The rabbit was watching him, head crooked to the side in that curious way he always did. Mike wondered how long he'd been standing there - Bonnie wasn't usually so quiet around Mike. The rabbit animatronic seemed to understand, more than the others, that Mike was not - and might not ever be - completely comfortable around them. He was growing more so every day - but he doubted he'd ever not react badly to being suddenly surprised by them.

"There you are, Mike," Bonnie said, "what're you doing in here?"

Mike put a hand to his chest, letting out a quick breath. "Oh, I was just - looking around." He didn't mention the rest - it wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with any of them, but especially not Bonnie. "Do you guys ever actually use the stuff in here?"

"The engineers do," Bonnie said, "if something breaks or rips, they use these parts to help repair us. It doesn't happen often, but I think they keep these in here, just in case." Mike wondered what that job must be like - terrifying, if he had to guess.

"It's kind of unnerving," Mike admitted, "it feels wrong to see these parts not attached to anyone." And, of course, there was the whole 'this is where we bring people to kill them' aspect. Again, though, Mike kept that to himself. And scolded himself - it wasn't doing anyone any good to keep thinking about it.

"Yeah, we don't come back here very often," Bonnie agreed, "but, it's just parts. None of this stuff ever moves or anything like that, it's not - well, you know."

_ Thank the gods for small miracles _ , Mike thought. He'd never even considered the possibility of the various bits and pieces moving on their own - if they had, he'd probably be dead by now. He glanced into the room again, eyes finding the slowly drying blood stain. He shivered lightly and moved towards Bonnie and the exit.

"Anyway, like I said, I was just looking. You guys doing anything exciting?" Mike asked, moving out of the room as Bonnie backed away to clear space for him. The night guard felt desperate for normalcy. The rabbit shook his head, jaw dropping as he let out a quick chuckle.

"When there's no one to, er, play with, it gets pretty boring around here. So, no, nothing exciting." Bonnie paused, glancing around. "Oh, I know! We could put on a show for you. Like a real one, like what we do for the kids. That could be fun!"

Mike couldn't say he completely agreed, but he smiled at the animatronic anyway. If they enjoyed it, that was all that really mattered to him. "Yeah, that sounds good. We'll have to check with Freddy though - for something like that, it'd probably be best to blindfold him again."

"I'm sure he won't mind," Bonnie said, turning to head down the hall. Mike followed after him. As they wandered down the hallway, Mike forced Scott from his mind. Hopefully, a show from the animatronics would help keep his mind off the subject. "He really likes putting on shows."

* * *

 

Mike grabbed his right wrist with his left hand, trying to keep the flashlight steady. He hated how dark the strange room was, how the light only just managed to penetrate it. He moved the beam quickly towards the wall, where he'd last seen the golden rabbit. To his great relief, it was still there. It didn't look as if it'd moved at all - its stance was still exactly the same and it's eyes were closed. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like an empty suit. Which, Mike supposed, it basically was.

He'd come alone. He'd sat through a couple of performances from the four animatronics. They were similar to the one he'd seen during the day, when he'd come to apply for the job. Over all though, they were considerably better, even with the star performer blindfolded. Foxy had even joined in - though his role had been more comedic. He'd interrupted and antagonized the others, until Freddy had chased him off. It'd clearly been more or less scripted, but still legitimately funny. Mike had been sure to clap loudly for them when they finished, and he was sure they'd all looked pleased. Then, after a few compliments, Mike had excused himself. He'd given some excuse about a guard duty or two he needed to finish. It'd been enough for three of them, but Freddy had looked over at Mike. And even through the blindfold, the bear had given Mike a look that said he knew exactly where Mike was going.

It actually made him feel a little better. The animatronics couldn't actually enter the safe room, but at least Freddy would know where to come looking if Mike didn't come back. Or if he started screaming. The night guard took a deep breath, flashlight wavering slightly, then moved just a little closer to the yellowed rabbit.

"Spring Bonnie?" Mike asked quietly, heart pounding in his ears. "Are you there?"  _ Are you anything?  _ Was the unasked question. For a long moment, there was no response. The rabbit didn't move, didn't answer, just kept laying there - slumped and empty.

And then, suddenly, it's eyelids opened, the movement twitchy, revealing two animatronic eyes - the same round, white eyes that Mike would find in Bonnie. The eyes looked around wildly for a second before finally lighting on Mike. This seemed to excite Spring Bonnie, as the full-body twitch he gave looked an awful lot like he was trying to move. Mike took a step back, but the rabbit's attempts were futile - his body just simply didn't respond.

"Hel-l-lo," the animatronic spoke. Much like his friends, back when they'd been in pieces, the rabbit's voice was halting and full of mechanical static - an improperly working voice box it was still forcing words through. "You cam-m-me back-k-k-k."

"Yeah, uh, and I'm sorry about that," Mike said, "for before, I mean. Uhm, honestly, you spooked me. I didn't expect you to be able to talk." He paused, and when Spring Bonnie didn't respond, continued. "How long have you been in here?"

"Long ti-i-ime?" Spring Bonnie responded, sounding uncertain.

"Yeah, I kinda guessed." Probably since not long after Fredbear's, if Mike had to guess. The rabbit hadn't asked, but Mike felt compelled to continue, cutting right to the topic he'd been thinking about since finding Spring Bonnie. "Hey, listen, there's not much I can do to help you, like, get out of here. I'm no engineer, and I think telling management would only make things worse," Mike didn't mention that the other animatronics didn't want Spring Bonnie fixed.

"They woul-l-ld scrap-p-p me."

"Yeah, most likely. That's why I'm not gonna tell them. But, if you'd like, I can come visit you every so often. So you wouldn't be so alone anymore. And, if there was anything you needed, I could bring that too," Mike said. He wasn't sure what a non-functioning sentient robot might actually need, but it felt polite to ask.

"I would like some comp-p-pany," Spring Bonnie said. His eyes twitched, looking around the small, dark room. "Somet-t-times water-r-r-r drips on m-m-me. Can you f-f-f-fix that? It's very umcomf-f-fortable." Mike frowned lightly, tapping the butt of the flashlight against his chin. That was a good question. He glanced around the area near Spring Bonnie.

"I'll see what I can do," Mike responded, "I can't promise anything fancy, but I'm sure I can rig up something that'll at least keep the water off." Spring Bonnie was…surprisingly talkative. And he seemed to at least tolerate Mike right off the bat - he didn't seem to be at all aggressive. That was great - but also interesting and so different from Mike's first meeting with every other animatronic. Mike wondered if it had to do with the fact that Spring Bonnie was part animatronic and part suit.

"That sounds nic-c-c-ce," Spring Bonnie said, "t-t-thank you. Do you t-t-think you could br-r-ring a book-k-k too? I really lik-k-ke stor-r-ries."

"Yeah?" Mike asked, and he couldn't help but smile, "you know, I definitely think I can manage that. I have to be getting back to work now, but I'll come back around tomorrow. I'll bring something to read, and we can plan out something to keep you dry. Okay?"

"Okay," Spring Bonnie agreed, then it's ear twitched just slightly, "wait-t-t-t, what's your n-n-name?"

"It's Mike."

"Mik-k-k-ke," Spring Bonnie repeated, "I will remember, t-t-thank you, Mike."

"You're welcome, Spring Bonnie. I'll see you later."

As he walked out of the room, deep in thought about the rabbit, Mike started violently when he saw Freddy waiting for him in the hallway. When he realized the bear was blindfolded, he forced himself to calm back down.

"It is nearly the end of your shift," Freddy said, "I was beginning to worry. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine," Mike reassured him, "I was just talking with Spring Bonnie. He's certainly alive…in some fashion, anyway. He seems pretty nice, Freddy. Are you sure we can't try and help him?"

"Giving him the ability to walk around would be a poor idea," Freddy said, "he could be more dangerous than you think - it could be a trick. Even if it is not, it would not be safe. He would be likely to set off our worst selves. That would be dangerous for him, and for you. And, finally, the human management would not be pleased to see him. He has a poor track record, after all. Likely, they would send him for scrap. You see, Mike?"

"Yeah, I do," Mike said, sighing, "I just feel bad. It must be lonely."

"Will you see him again?"

"Yeah," Mike responded, "I told him I'd try to rig something up to keep water from dripping on him. I'm also gonna bring a book and read to him - he said he likes stories."

"Then he will be less lonely than before. It is kind of you, Mike, and the most you can do for him at the moment. So please try not to fret, I am sure he will appreciate what you do," Freddy said. And he was right, Mike knew. About all of it. But Mike still didn't like it, and he couldn't help but try and think of ways to help Spring Bonnie, without putting everyone else in danger. There just  _ had  _ to be a solution.

Mike jumped slightly when Freddy put a massive hand on his shoulder. He was tense for a second, but Freddy didn't squeeze. His mouth moved into that robotic version of a smile, and Mike relaxed.

"Come, Mike. Six is upon us again, and we've our places to be," Freddy said. Mike allowed the large bear to steer him away from the safety room, glancing back to it only briefly.

Mike had survived his shifts at Freddy's, he'd managed to make friends with the animatronics, and now he had a new plan. He was going to figure out a way to help Spring Bonnie - really help him. He would not do anything that would put any of his friends in danger, but there had to be another option. He would not let the abandoned animatronic become forgotten again. 


	10. Break In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone should really warn any wannabe thieves about Freddy's security system. AKA: Mike stares death in the face three times and meets a side of his friend he's never seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light trigger warnings for this chapter: Threatened gun violence, asphyxiation, and reminders about off-screen child deaths. If any of you fine folk have trouble reading about those subjects, just let me know! I'd be happy to provide a summary to keep you caught up.
> 
> Thanks as always for all of the support! :)

Mike was, to put a fine point on it, grumpy. He let the front door of Freddy's slam shut behind him, turning the lock with a loud 'click'. He'd had a migraine all day, bad enough that he hadn't really ever managed to fall asleep. Even now, he could feel the remnants of a dull ache deep in his forehead, twinging with a sharp pain every now and then. He had almost -  _ almost  _ \- called in. He'd decided against it in the end, though. If he was going to be awake and in pain anyway, might as well be at Freddy's as at home. Besides, he hadn't wanted to worry his friends and he  _ had  _ promised Spring Bonnie another visit.

He was a little surprised to see that none of them were on stage. It was 11:55 - later than he usually arrived - and the chance of anyone but Mike being there that late was slim to none, so he wasn't particularly worried about it. Most likely, they felt more comfortable to do stuff like that now. He could take a few guesses as to where they all were, if he had to. Bonnie and Foxy were likely already in the office waiting for his arrival, Chica could be there but may also be in the kitchen doing whatever she did in there, and Freddy - well, there was no telling where the bear was. He could be in the very same room as Mike right in that moment, and unless Freddy announced himself, Mike might not ever know.

Mike glanced at the stage, tempted to go and lay on it, wrapped up in as much if the curtain as he could wrangle. He was so tired. But, with a sigh, he adjusted the small stack of books he was carrying under his arm and trudged on to the office instead.

Bonnie and Foxy were there, just as Mike had expected. Foxy was sitting up on the desk, tablet in hand, watching the cameras for - well, who knew what reason. Bonnie was apparently cleaning - picking up wadded balls of paper and other trash and tossing it in a trash can he must have brought to the office solely for that purpose. When the rabbit animatronic saw Mike, though, he perked up.

"Mike, you're here!" Bonnie said cheerfully, although he paused when he looked closer, "are you alright? You look like you're ill."

"Thanks for the compliment, Bonnie," Mike grumbled, setting the books on the desk before moving over to his chair and plopping down into it, "I'm alright. I'm just really tired. I didn't really sleep today before my shift."

"Oh, well, that's an easy fix then. You can just sleep here," Bonnie said easily, "we can probably even make up some sort of bed, although I can't promise it'll be super comfy."

"I can't sleep on the job," Mike muttered, "it's unprofessional or some sh - ah, something. 'sides, what're you guys gonna do, run this place yourself?"

"Ye know we can't leave the restaurant, aye?" Foxy asked, looking over, "and we ain't gonna go 'round trashin' the place. Ol' bear would have our hides. And if Ye get some shut-eye, who'd know? Not like they watch ye." Well, when he put it that way, Mike had to admit it was true. Sleeping in Freddy's probably wouldn't be the most comfortable, but it was better than not sleeping at all. And Mike was  _ so tired. _

"You guys sure it'd really be okay?" Mike asked. Bonnie straightened up as soon as he asked, moving towards the doorway.

"It'll be fine, Mike," Bonnie said, "and if anything comes up, we can always wake you! And we'll get you up when your alarm goes off. So don't worry! I'll go see what I can wrangle together to make a bed."

A little while later, they'd made something like a small bed up against the wall of the office. Bonnie had scrounged up some old curtain, a few fire blankets, and had even managed to find a pillow in the lost and found. It was sketchy, Mike had to admit, but he was touched all the same. And once he laid on it, it was comfortable enough that it immediately became very difficult to keep his eyes open. Sketchiness be damned - in that moment it was the most comfortable bed he'd ever touched.

"Wake me at five, or before if you need me," Mike muttered, "promise?" He'd use the last hour of the night to go and see Spring Bonnie again.

"O'course Mikey, we promise," Foxy responded. Mike thought he heard Bonnie ask something about the books, but he didn't hear the actual words, because he was dead asleep within a moment. 

* * *

 

Something was gently but insistently shaking Mike. He grumbled and pushed at it, trying to roll away from it. It vanished for a second - but was soon back, more insistent than ever.

"C'mon Mike, wake up," a soft voice was saying, "I'm sorry to wake you but it's  _ important." _

Mike pried one eye open and looked up at a blurry, yellow form. Chica, he realized after a second. When she saw him looking she pulled her hand away, peering down at him. He had to say, it was not his favorite angle to look up at her from. With a slight groan, Mike pushed himself up into a sitting position, a bit of curtain tumbling off his body. He still felt very tired, but the ache in his head had faded almost entirely. It was the small victories.

"Chica? What is it?" Mike asked, yawning widely. He glanced towards the clock - only two am. A bit earlier than he'd expected to be woken. "'s a bit early, isn't it?" Not that he should really complain, he guessed. At least they'd given him the chance to get  _ some  _ sleep. And maybe Chica hadn't known he was supposed to be resting?

"I know, I'm sorry," Chica said, "Bonnie and Freddy said I should let you sleep. And I was going to! But I just - I thought you'd want to know. I think you need to know. Mike, there's someone in the restaurant. Someone who  _ shouldn't  _ be!"

"What?" Mike asked, rubbing an eye. And then what she'd said caught up with him and he froze briefly, before jumping to his feet. "Someone's in this place? A human someone? After hours?!" He asked, stumbling a bit as he hurried over to the camera tablet. His mind was running through multiple scenarios, but whatever the case, this was  _ very bad _ . It didn't matter if whoever was there had good intentions or not - they were in serious danger.

"It's a scary man - he has a black mask on and everything. Bonnie and Freddy said they'd handle it, but - it didn't seem right, not telling you," Chica said.

"No, thank you, Chica. I'd rather know. I'm glad you woke me." At least one of the animatronics seemed to have a working brain! Mike flipped through the cameras quickly, trying to see something - anything. And then, yes, there, near the bathrooms. A man was slipping down the hall, and if not for the situation, Mike would laugh at how much the man looked like a stereotypical thief - dark clothes, a dark mask, and -

Okay, that wasn't really funny at all. The man was certainly carrying a gun.  _ To rob a pizzeria only two steps from drowning in its own debt?  _ Mike thought incredulously,  _ talk about desperate.  _ So there was the man - but where were the others? He continued flipping through the cameras - pirate's cove was mostly closed, only a small opening in it, Foxy's good eye peering out - black as night. So there was Foxy. And - yes, there, Bonnie was standing in Parts and Services, looking away from the camera and towards the door. So then, where was Freddy? He looked as closely at the feeds as he dared, trying to make out the bear. But he couldn't see him. That wasn't good. Foxy and Bonnie were stalking the man, playing a version of the 'game' Mike knew  _ very  _ well. Which meant Freddy probably was too - and the man had no chance if Freddy found him first. Robber or not, that wasn't a good way to go.

"Alright, I'm going out there," Mike said, stepping back. He jumped slightly when Chica grasped his shoulder, holding on tightly.

"You can't! Let them handle it Mike - I didn't tell you so you'd rush out into danger," she said.

"If they catch that guy, they'll kill him. I know he's up to no good, but if he  _ dies  _ here, it's going to spell a whole lot trouble for all of us. His only chance is me - I have to go," Mike insisted.

"He's  _ armed _ , what if he hurts you? Mike, what if you run into Freddy? He won't be prepared - if he sees you,  _ he _ might hurt you! It's too dangerous, and if you get hurt, I'll be really sad. And the others will be furious at me! Bonnie won't ever talk to me again," Chica fretted.

"Chica, I have to go. I'll be careful, I promise, but I have to go out there, or this is going to be bad for everyone. And I need  _ you  _ to stay here and keep an eye out." Really, he wanted her to stay put so she didn't wander out and become another danger, but he decided to keep that part to himself.

Chica made a low, mechanical grinding noise, reminding Mike of a whine, but she moved her hand away. " _ Please  _ be careful, Mike," she said. Mike gave her his best reassuring smile, then turned and left the office before she changed her mind.

He slipped through the restaurant as quick and quiet as he dared, ears peeled for any animatronic sounds. He headed for the bathrooms, where he'd last seen the masked man. He found him in the next hall over from them, obviously looking for something of value. It was clear he hadn't cased the place ahead of time, though - he was lost. Mike wasn't a thief, but from what little he knew about the business, it seemed like a rookie mistake. A dark, rumbling laugh echoed suddenly through the hallway, making the hairs on Mike's neck stand up. He saw the other man pause as well, confused. Mike knew exactly what it'd been, however, and they were running out of time. Mike hurried to catch up to the other man.

"Excuse me! You're not supposed to be here!" Mike called.

The man turned quickly and, without hesitation, pointed his gun straight at Mike. Mike immediately lifted his hands, to show he wasn't armed and to try and placate the thief. Thankfully, the man's trigger finger wasn't as twitchy as Mike feared - he wasn't immediately shot so, that was something.

"Excuse you? How 'bout  _ excuse me _ ? Didn't know there'd be anyone here, but that's fine. This is just fine. You can go ahead and be a good little guide and show me what's valuable 'round here," the man responded, with a laughing sneer.

"Look, listen, you're in a crazy amount of danger. As in life-threatening danger," Mike said, "if I were you, I'd had left like ten minutes ago. Believe me, this is the last place you want to be this late at night."

"Danger? Look my guy," the man began to walk towards Mike, waving the gun around pointedly, "if anyone's in danger right now, it's you. After all, I'm the one with the gun. So come on, let's go, you show me some goods, and maybe I don't blow your brains out, hum?"

Mike saw him a second after it was too late to shout a warning. Freddy was just all at once  _ there _ , right behind the man. And he was  _ pissed.  _ Mike couldn't even see the usual white pinpricks in the middle of the bear's black eyes. The burglar let out a startled shout when he was suddenly grabbed - Freddy had a hold of the man's arm, the same one holding the gun. The bear began to pull, lifting the now screaming man off of the ground and into the air. He must have squeezed - the gun clattered to the ground with a noisy racket.

Mike didn't know what to do. If he did nothing, Freddy would surely tear the man apart. Granted, he'd been threatening Mike at gunpoint, so a part of Mike didn't feel  _ too  _ terribly for what he was experiencing. But at the same time, what he'd told Chica was true. If the man was killed and it was discovered, there'd be an inquiry. Who knew what that would mean for the restaurant - for the animatronics. Plus, death didn't seem like an appropriate punishment for robbing a place, and if the man died, Mike would feel guilty for the rest of his life. On the other hand, if Mike tried to interfere, there was a very strong chance Freddy would just tear  _ him  _ apart, as well. He'd also probably regret  _ that _ for the rest of his life - although, that time would be pretty short in comparison.

Dammit, he had to try.

"Freddy," Mike said, walking towards the two. His voice didn't break Freddy out of it, unfortunately, but it did draw the bear's attention. His head turned slightly to look at Mike, eyes still pitch black and hand still gripping the burglar tight. "Freddy," Mike continued, "you've gotta let him go. Can you hear me? It's me, Mike. Your pal, right? Let him go, okay?" When there was no response, Mike kept moving closer, his heart trying it's damndest to escape his chest. His breath was coming quick as he moved up next to the animatronic.

"Freddy, please listen to me," Mike said, "you can't do this. Put him - Freddy!" He choked off in alarm as Freddy's free hand reached out. The animatronic was  _ quick  _ when he wanted to be, Mike didn't have a chance to move out of the way. Freddy's hand wrapped around Mike's neck and the bear began to lift Mike up too, squeezing all the while. Mike's airflow was immediately closed off, or else he would have started screaming. Instead, Mike clawed and yanked at the animatronic's hand desperately, gulping as he tried to suck in  _ some  _ kind of air. The bear had a vice grip around him and it  _ hurt. _ He gasped, staring right into Freddy's eyes as the bear brought him closer. He kicked as fiercely as he could, kept trying to claw at the hand, tried to keep seeing through the black static filling his vision. Breathe.  _ He couldn't breathe. _

The robber was screaming, Mike thought distantly, deliriously. What a waste of resources. Didn't the man know there was no help coming? No one else was there. In the morning, their bodies would be disposed of, the carpets cleaned, and if it was up to management, they'd never be spoken about again. Mike's only hope was one of the others - but he couldn't get the air to scream for their help. Mike only barely managed a whispered, wheezing 'please.' Chica might come if she were watching the camera, but she wouldn't be in time. The others would never know Mike was in danger - and they wouldn't care about the thief's screams.

_ This is it,  _ Mike thought, his vision almost completely black now, his legs no longer kicking - he didn't have the energy,  _ this is really, truly it. I die tonight. _

And then, suddenly, he hit the floor  _ hard.  _ His knees screamed in pain as bone struck concrete, and his body flopped forward until he was on his stomach, unable to stop himself from falling. He gasped, each breath burning and incredibly painful, but he was oh so grateful as it flooded into his lungs. He tried to push himself up - but failed, and so was content to lay there for a bit longer, just breathing. Beautiful, precious air. The darkness in his vision was clearing slowly but surely, the black fading to static, to little points of nothing that danced in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" a voice was asking, distant at first, but then closer and clearer, "Mike, please look at me. Let me know you are okay. I am so sorry - Mike, please." It took a great amount of effort and some more time, but eventually Mike was able to push himself to his knees with shaking arms and look up.

Freddy was staring at him, eyes wide but their normal white, no longer black with fury. He was still holding the robber up by an arm, and the man was still fighting viciously for his life. But Freddy hardly seemed to notice the struggling body in his hand. He was focused solely on Mike.

"I'm -" Mike paused, not sure he could lie entirely, "that hurt - a lot. Still hurts. But, I'm alive. I think I'll be okay, Freddy." That much was true - now that his oxygen was back, Mike was quickly regaining his senses. He was in a good deal of pain - but he wasn't going to keel over.

"I am sorry, Mike. I truly did not know it was you, I only saw what my processors said. I did not -"

"Know it was me, I know." Mike got to his feet slowly, wincing as he carefully rubbed his neck. His voice was rough and croaky when he spoke, and his neck hurt fiercely. It'd probably be worth a trip to the hospital. But he was alive, and Freddy was his normal self again - and their issue seemed to be solved. Those were good things. His eyes went to the robber. That was not so good.

"Okay. I'll be okay, Freddy. Really," Mike believed it - he already felt more like himself again, "But you do have to let him down, now." Freddy promptly straightened, eyebrows falling slightly to give Mike a dry, humorless look.

"Absolutely not. This man should not be here - and he is armed. He does not have our protection like you do," Freddy responded.

"You can't kill him. There's a whole host of issues that come up if you do. And, frankly, it's not your place to be judge and executioner here. There's been enough of that in this place," Mike snapped the last, and he watched Freddy still, eyes locked on Mike. 

"You hold that against us, Mike?"

"I try very hard not to," Mike responded. He took a second, took a breath, tried to reel in his temper. "Freddy, listen. I know things are different for you - for all of you. Things are more black and white. I know that, I  _ do.  _ I care about all of you, you're my friends. That won't change. But let me be your conscious, now. Just please  _ listen to me.  _ You cannot kill this man. For my sake, please listen to me." He was winded by the end and stopped to breathe as Freddy mulled that over.

"We cannot just let him go," the animatronic said finally, "he is dangerous. I did not miss that he threatened to shoot you." Mike felt himself relax - he'd convinced Freddy.

"Of course not," Mike agreed, "I'll call the cops. If you promise not to hurt him, I'll even let you keep a hold on him until they get here. What do you say? Deal?"

There was a long pause. Then, Freddy began to lower the robber to the ground, letting his feet touch, though Freddy kept a strong grip on the man's arm.

"Deal," he said. 

* * *

 

Mike watched the police drive off, the thief tucked safely in the back of a squad car. The man had ranted on and on about killer animatronics - it'd made Mike nervous. But in the end, he'd reassured the officers that the animatronics had a security mode and, really, Freddy was just doing his job. The thief had then argued that the animatronic had all but  _ said  _ its intention was to kill - but that was easily written off, too.

"After all, Freddy might have squeezed his arm a little too tightly, but he's not actually all that hurt, is he?" Mike had told them, "I get it though. They're exceptionally creepy at night - the poor guy is probably traumatized."

Over all, Mike felt a bit bitter by their lack of incentive to investigate much more, especially considering he'd seen more than one officer looking curiously at his blossoming bruises. But then, that was probably par for the course at Freddy's, right? Rumors and investigations clung to the place like a disease. If they couldn't even prove that children had been  _ murdered  _ in the restaurant, why would they bother to look too much into a random thief who just had complaints of animatronic harassment? It'd helped that, by the time the police arrived, the man had been bound with rope and the Fazbear band had been settled back on stage. So no, Mike didn't like seeing first hand what little was done about Freddy's. But since it worked in favor for him and his friends, he could only work up so much bitterness.

Pat had shown up too, probably as was his duty as boss, but he'd let Mike do most of the talking. Once the police left, he turned to Mike, reached out, and patted the night guard on the shoulder.

"You've got a good head, kid," Pat said, "we're glad to have you as part of the Fazbear Family. Gonna finish your shift? And you'll still make it in for tomorrow's shift, right?"

A part of Mike wanted to punch him in the face. He was clearly injured, and he didn't like the implication that being willing to lie for the company was what made you family. But Mike resisted the urge and, instead, he just smiled and nodded. That'd earned him a bright grin, and then Pat was gone too. Once Mike was alone, he turned and headed back into the restaurant. He didn't much care about finishing up the last hour of his shift, but he did want to check on the animatronics and do his best to fix the busted door. Seeing that it was just Mike, the animatronics moved off stage immediately as he walked in. As was normal, Bonnie made it to the human first.

"Freddy told us what happened! Are you alright? Geez, those bruises look  _ nasty _ , Freddy you almost killed him!" The rabbit jabbered, looking back to shoot a heavy-lidded glare at Freddy.

"I apologized," Freddy said, stepping closer to Mike and Bonnie, "I-"

"No!" Bonnie said. Mike was startled - and he heard Chica gasp as well - when Bonnie suddenly turned and shoved Freddy back. "You've done enough, Freddy. He's our friend, and you hurt him! You almost killed him! So you just stay away from him!"

"Whoa, hey, wait a second!" Mike said in alarm. He moved over between the animatronics, putting a hand on Bonnie's arm. "Bonnie, that's not fair. It's not his fault and I -"

"It is his fault!" Bonnie cried - the words so harsh his voice box glitched as they came through, "don't forgive him so easily, Mike!"

"It is okay, Mike," Freddy rumbled quietly, "it would likely be best if I leave you be, for the moment." Without waiting for a response, the bear turned and began leaving the room.

"Freddy, wait -" Mike groaned, looking over at Foxy and Chica, "guys? A little help?"

"Aye lad," Foxy said, "we'll go talk the ol' bear down, don't you worry." He nodded to Chica and the two of them followed after Freddy, leaving Mike and Bonnie alone.

"Bonnie?" Mike asked, looking at the rabbit, "what on earth is the matter? We both knew Freddy was having trouble - why are you so upset with him?"

"He almost k-k-killed you," Bonnie said, eyes twitching wildly, "and I wouldn't have known unt-t-til it was too late! You're my friend and I'm supposed to prot-t-tect you!" He reached up, gripping his ears and pulling at them, and Mike took a step back as the rabbit's head began to thrash unnaturally. "I just want t-t-to protect my f-f-friends!"

The temperature of the room all at once plummeted, becoming so cold that Mike could see his breath escaping him in puffs. Bonnie began to make grinding, mechanical noises, and Mike moved towards the animatronic in alarm. But then, he leapt back instead, as Bonnie's head suddenly snapped backwards, jaw flopping open and eyes shutting. But that wasn't what had startled Mike.

Mike stared at the rabbit animatronic or, more specifically, at the small, ghostly figure standing on Bonnie's feet. They were nearly completely transparent, but Mike could still make them out - a small child, a flowing dress around it's knees. They were sobbing, fists rubbing desperately at ghostly eyes.

"I wanted someone to keep me safe," they wailed, the world's warbled and watery, "but then I d-died. So now I wanna keep my friends safe. I just want them to be safe." Mike stood frozen, staring at the child as they cried. It made his chest hurt, he felt as if something were squeezing his heart in a vice grip. Breaking out of his daze, he moved forward, then crouched down in front of the little child.

"Hey," He said softly waiting until, after a few seconds, the child looked up from their hands, blinking at him with watery eyes. Mike smiled lightly when they sniffed. "It's alright, you see? I  _ am  _ safe. The others are safe, too. You don't have to worry anymore." The child sniffed again, and Mike held himself still when they reached out. His skin felt like ice in the areas the small fingers touched, but he didn't stop them. They touched along his face, staring at him as if trying to make sure he was really okay.

"You're hurt," they whispered, phantasmic tears filling their eyes again, "you're not safe, you're  _ hurt. _ "

"You're right," Mike said, "but it'll heal, no problem. It was just an accident, okay?" The child's hands fell away from Mike's face and they sniffed again, lifting a fist to rub at one of their eyes. Then, they looked down at their own form, smoothing their dress out.

"I wasn't an accident," they whispered. It took a second to work out what they meant, but then Mike found himself blinking rapidly, trying to will away the tears that had suddenly sprung into his own eyes.

"No," he said softly in return, "no, what happened to you wasn't an accident. I'm so sorry, kiddo."

The little ghost turned away from him, and peered up at the silent rabbit animatronic behind them. They didn't speak for a long minute, and when they did, their voice was steady but quiet. "Bonnie was always my favorite," they said, reaching up to touch one of the rabbit's paws.

"You know - don't tell the others, but I think Bonnie's my favorite, too," Mike said, waiting until the child looked at him to give them a conspiratorial wink. He felt a small burst of joy when the ghost child giggled at that.

"'m sorry, Mike," they said, facing him again, "for being mean. I was scared - I think I made Bonnie scared, too."

"Hey, it's alright," Mike said, "and I know Freddy is okay, too. So no more worrying, okay?" He swallowed, then moved forward and embraced the child - or tried to, anyway. There wasn't a solid enough form for him to hold. But the child seemed to understand. With a smile, another sniffle, and a softly whispered 'okay,' they vanished, taking all the cold in the room with them.

With a jerk, a few twitches, and a very human-like gasp, Bonnie's eyes flew open. He looked back and forth a few times before looking down to Mike. "Mike?" he asked, sounding uncertain. Mike pushed himself up to a standing position and laid a hand on Bonnie's arm.

"It's alright, Bonnie. You feel better?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, uh, I think so," Bonnie said, rubbing the top of his head with a paw. "That was - uhm, I dunno. I'm sorry, though. For getting so upset. I should probably apologize to Freddy, too."

"No worries, hard to be angry with someone being on your side, right? I know you were just being protective. And I'm sure Freddy's not too upset with you, but I'm sure he'd appreciate talking it out," Mike said, "let's go catch up with them, yeah?"

"Yeah," Bonnie agreed. As he and Mike walked off to find Freddy and the others, Mike found himself lost in thought about the little ghost child. He didn't know much about the whole situation - was the child everything he knew as Bonnie? Were they only part of Bonnie? Were they two separate entities entirely? Mike didn't have a good answer for any of those questions. But there was one thing he knew for sure.

If he ever saw William again, he'd take a page out of Freddy's book and rip the man apart, limb by limb.


	11. A Change in Ownership

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike spends some time with his friends. Meanwhile, the restaurant changes hands - and Mike meets yet another blast from the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Bit of a fluff chapter here, although the final scene is important. Unless things change between now and when I'm writing the next chapter, things should really kick up a notch next chapter.
> 
> Little known fact about your author: Springtrap/Sping Bonnie is one of my favorite animatronics. Golden Freddy is an equal favorite. 
> 
> Thanks as always for reading and leaving kind words! Enjoy! :)

Things felt more normal the following evening. Mike had some pretty nasty bruising around his neck and windpipe, but the doctors hadn't seen anything that made them concerned about any lasting damage. They'd let him go, with a warning to rest and to return immediately if he felt any alarming symptoms. He went to work come night time, of course, but in Mike's defense, his job was decently restful. When there weren't killer animatronics or robbers around, anyway.

He was accosted by Bonnie and Foxy immediately, as he expected. Chica was waiting with them as well, but she was content to let them do the talking and touching. She did tell him, quietly, that she was glad to hear that he was alright. Freddy wasn't with them, though, nor was he on the stage. Which was why Mike had, once the other two let him go, wandered off into the restaurant in search of the bear. It continued to surprise him how well Freddy could hide - considering his size and all.  _ Especially  _ since it seemed like the bear was rarely hiding on purpose.

Mike found Freddy in the kitchen, of all places. Although he and Bonnie had stopped by the day they went exploring, Mike hadn't been in the kitchen very much at all. The bear animatronic was standing at a counter, looking at an odd mass sitting on top of it. Mike walked up next to the bear, looking at the mass curiously as well. It was a bunch of old pizza boxes and bits of various other waste, stacked all together into a vaguely house-like form.

"What is this?" Mike asked curiously. Freddy glanced over to him, then gestured at the pile.

"Chica likes to make these little houses. It is what she does in here, most of the time. I think it comforts her. When she's not in the kitchen, I like to come and look at what she last made," Freddy said.

"Oh," Mike said, "you know, for a bunch of old pizza boxes, this is pretty good. I didn't know she was so creative. I wonder if she'd like help some time?"

"It is a private activity, generally. But for you? I think she'd quite enjoy your company. And even if not, I am sure she would not be offended if you asked."

Mike made a mental note of that. He liked the quiet bird animatronic, and she seemed to like him just fine as well. But he just didn't interact with her as much as he did Bonnie and Foxy. She was more introverted than them - so this could be a way for them to spend quality time together. If she wanted. But, Chica wasn't who Mike was here for at the moment. He looked at Freddy.

"You holding in there, Freddy? You seemed okay with Bonnie yesterday, but how are you really?" Mike asked.

"I am just fine," Freddy responded, looking at Mike. When he did, they both paused for a few long heartbeats, waiting. He continued once it was obvious his system wouldn't misfire. "From the moment he saw you defend those children, Bonnie has been a fan. In this last week, he has only grown more attached to you. That makes him protective - I was a little surprised by his anger, at first. But as I thought about it, I realized I should not be. Bonnie has always been the most viciously protective of the children - he was, even before we were given true life. His child was alone when they were murdered - their desperation has only made his protective streak stronger. I am, quite frankly, lucky he did not rip my arms clean off my body for what I did to you."

"I'm glad he didn't, though," Mike said, "I think he would have regretted it. And I would have felt bad - I know you wouldn't have done it, if you'd had control of yourself."

"I would not have," Freddy agreed, "still, I am deeply sorry, Mike. I hope you understand that. It bothers me greatly that I hurt you."

"Try not to let it," Mike said, shaking his head, "I really am fine. The bruising will go away in no time - Freddy, considering what you  _ could  _ have done, I got off pretty easy. No harm, no foul. And, hey, your systems seem to recognize me now, so we don't have to worry about it again. So let's let the past lie, okay?"

"Okay," Freddy said, "I will do my best. Thank you, Mike."

"Sure," Mike said. They fell into companionable silence. He moved closer to the counter, looking over Chica's project, being careful not to touch or bump it. "So this is what Chica does, what about you, Freddy? You're always off by yourself - and impossible to find, you know - what do you do during the night?"

"I watch, Mike," Freddy responded, "I watch over my family, and I watch over the restaurant. A lot of nasty business can happen in the dark - I do my best to chase it away. Beyond that, I also try and keep our home looking nice. The daytime workers try, but there are always things out of place or messier than they ought to be." He was quiet for a second, then continued before Mike could respond. "Sometimes, though, I do play skee-ball."

"Wait, do you really?" Mike asked, "are you any good?"

"I am improving. I like the game because while it requires accuracy and strength, it does not require much dexterity. It takes effort to reign in my strength enough to play, however, so it still holds some challenge. I once tried to make a house of playing cards - but that required too many small and careful movements," Freddy responded.

"Well, well, I'd never expected Freddy Fazbear of all animatronics to enjoy arcade games. I'll have to take you on sometime, Fazbear. If you're game," Mike said, grinning at the bear. Freddy chuckled - the sound dark and low, but not as intimidating as when it sounded from dark corners.

"You are welcome to try me anytime, Mike. I look forward to it." He looked to the night guard, his gaze warm somehow. Mike couldn't help but smile back. They shared the moment, until Mike took a step back.

"I should go see Spring Bonnie. I promised him, and then didn't get the chance to go and see him yesterday. If they come looking for me, can you keep the others distracted?" Mike asked.

"Of course," Freddy said, "you are being careful, aren't you? Do not get too close to him - he may be what he seems, but if he is not, you will be alone with him."

"I'm being careful, I promise. I've seen him try to move - I really don't think he can. But I keep a safe distance between us, just in case," Mike told the bear. Freddy nodded.

"That is all I ask. Go and see your friend, I will deal with the others if need be."

"Thanks, Freddy," Mike said, shooting the bear another smile and a wave before heading for Spring Bonnie. 

* * *

 

Mike shone the flashlight beam through the room - checking for any nasty surprises. But as before, it was empty, save an overturned table and, of course, Spring Bonnie. The rabbit looked exactly the same as before, but he must have heard Mike coming, because his eyes opened before Mike could even speak, and turned in their sockets to look at the human.

"Mik-k-ke," Spring Bonnie said in greeting. Mike smiled and moved into the room, walking over to sit a little distance away from the animatronic, setting the books in front of him.

"Hey Spring Bonnie," Mike said, "how are you?"

"As well as c-c-can be expect-t-ted," Spring Bonnie responded, "happy t-t-to see you again-n."

"Yeah, same here. And, look, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I really was planning on coming to see you again, but things got - chaotic."

"I heard-d-d," Spring Bonnie said, "it sound-d-d-ded scary out-t-tside."

"It was a little, but everything's okay now. And, look, I brought some books, just like you asked. I thought I could tell you about them, and then you could decide which you'd like me to read. How's that sound?" Mike asked him. The rabbit's eyes drifted down towards the books.

"Sounds great-t-t, Mike!"

Mike had brought a small collection of books with him - a mixture of children and adult literature. He hadn't been at all sure what Spring Bonnie might pick, but 'Charlotte's Web' had been a happy surprise. Of the books Mike had brought, it was the only one he'd actually read. It was, in fact, one of his old favorites.

He settled in as comfortable a sitting position as he could manage, angled his flashlight until it was shining enough light on the book, and began to read. Spring Bonnie was a quiet and still audience, of course, but the way he watched Mike told the human that the rabbit was listening the whole time.

A while later, Mike glanced at his clock, surprised to see that it was already four am. He finished up the chapter they were on, then slipped the book closed. "Okay, I think that's a good place to stop for the night," He said. He needed to make sure and spend some time with the others - he didn't want them to feel neglected, nor did he want them to start worrying too much about his absence.

"Aw, do we have to st-t-top?" Spring Bonnie asked. The rabbit was generally so calm that the slight whine to his voice caught Mike off-guard. He couldn't help but let out a quick laugh.

"Sorry buddy," He said, getting to his feet with a wince - his legs were partially asleep, and sitting still had reminded him of the bruising on his knee from being dropped the day before. "But there are other things I have to do while at work. But I'll definitely come back, and we'll read a bit further every night."

"You p-p-p-romise?"

"Yeah, I promise," Mike said with a smile, "I'll come back for at least a little while every night - barring any more thieves or catastrophes." A soft, deep laugh - more gentle than Freddy's, but otherwise similar - startled Mike. He realized after a second that it had come from Spring Bonnie.

"Okay. T-t-then see you lat-t-ter, buddy," Spring Bonnie said.

"Yeah," Mike said, shooting the rabbit a fond look as he headed out of the room, "see you later."

* * *

 

Mike yawned widely as he locked the door to Freddy's. Between his nap the night before and a couple of hours of sleep at home - after the hospital visit - Mike didn't feel quite like dropping dead anymore. But, he was still tired and very much looking forward to a full day's sleep. As he turned from the door, however, he paused. Pat was standing just outside of the restaurant, leaning against an old beater car. Bracing himself - a visit from the boss was probably a bad sign - Mike triple checked the lock - unlocking it and relocking it once just to be sure - then walked over.

"Hey Schmidt," Pat greeted him before Mike could speak, "good news, the company has decided to go in a new direction. And by new direction, I mean we've got a new owner."

"Wait, what?" Mike asked, putting up a hand to try and stop the man, "what do you mean, new owner? What's that mean for me? Because I gotta tell you, if you're here to fire me, this isn't going to be a great conversation."

"No, no, not at all. Actually, I wouldn't have even bothered coming out, I would have just called you, except I guess the new owner wants to speak with you. In person," Pat said. 

"Why?" Mike asked incredulously, "he knows I'm just the night guard, right? Like, I'm barely paid minimum wage here. Why does he want to see me?" What on earth would the owner of the entire business want with Mike?

"I dunno," Pat said, clasping Mike's shoulder with a hand, "but orders are orders. So I want you to the restaurant by noon today, alright? That's where you'll be meeting."

_ So much for a full day of sleep,  _ Mike groused mentally, and he couldn't quite hold in a sigh, but he nodded all the same.

"Yeah, alright, sure," Mike said

"Good man! Alright, well you get on home. See you at noon sharp!" Pat said cheerfully, turning and climbing into his car without another word. Mike stepped back and watched him go, rubbing at his eyes. If he wasn't barred from the restaurant by the next evening, maybe he'd convince the others to let him nap again. He glanced at his watch with a sigh. If he got home quick, he'd be able to get a couple hours of sleep before noon. Better than nothing. Wondering, again, what the owner wanted from him, Mike headed home. 

* * *

 

Mike  _ knew  _ the man sitting in front of them. He just couldn't quite place from where. He was an older looking man, the wrinkles on his face and shadows under his eyes spoke to a life full of trial. He also looked far too fancy to be sitting at Pat's 'desk' tucked into a corner near the prize counter. But when he saw Mike and Pat walk up, he smiled. And the sharp green eyes seemed to hold their own smile just for Mike.  _ Where do I know him from? _

"Mr. Emily, this is the night security guard, Michael Schmidt," Pat said, gesturing at Mike. The man -  _ Mr. Emily? Even the name is familiar -  _ got to his feet and walked around the desk, holding a hand out. Mike took it in a firm shake.

"Very good to see you, Michael," Mr. Emily said, "Thank you, Patrick, for bringing him around. If you wouldn't mind terribly, might I speak with Michael alone?" Why on earth did the  _ owner  _ want to talk to him alone? Mike didn't miss the tiny scowl that appeared, briefly, on Pat's face. But then it was gone and the man just smiled and nodded.

"Of course, of course. Just holler if you need anything," Pat said, dipping his head to Mr. Emily before turning and walking further into the restaurant. Mike watched him go, hesitant - for a reason beyond him - to look at Mr. Emily.

_ C'mon Afton. You stare down killer animatronics on a daily basis. What's so intimidating about one man?  _ He scolded himself, taking a breath and turning to look at Mr. Emily again. The man was smiling at him, still.

"A man named Michael who seems to have an affinity for the animatronics - you know I did wonder, but it still surprises me to see that it's you. Schmidt, huh? An interesting name - creative, even, and certainly a far cry from your father's legacy," Mr. Emily said. Mike felt his blood run cold. This man knew who he was? The man knew about his father?  _ Mr. Emily, Mr. Emily, why is that so familiar? _

Of course, Michael realized after a second, going still. Mr.  _ Henry  _ Emily. This man wasn't just some random startup looking for a cheap business to buy - he was  _ the  _ owner, come back to claim his property. Not only that, but he and Mike's father had once been close partners. Mike sat a bit straighter, suddenly feeling considerably more nervous. On second thought, he'd much prefer the killer animatronics. Speaking of, he glanced over his shoulder towards the stage, where the three stars of the show were performing - stuck on stage, upper halves moving back and forth as the song played poorly from their speakers. Mike smiled lightly though when, just for a second, Bonnie's eyes met his own. It made him feel a bit more relaxed to know they were there.

"Don't look so worried," Henry said, and despite everything his smile was legitimately gentle as Mike turned his attention back to the older man, "I don't think we're enemies here. Do you think we are, Michael?"

"Call me Mike, please," Mike said weakly, "and I sure hope not, Mr. Emily. I hope you'll understand my nervousness - my father and I don't exactly get along."

"Neither do he and I," Henry said, "I haven't spoken to your father since shortly after your brother's accident. And believe me when I say I have no intention to do so now - unless it's with him at the end of a gun."

"That makes two of us," Mike said, feeling a little more comfortable. Henry didn't have any affection for William, and he clearly knew more about the whole situation than the average Freddy's worker - more than the public, even. How he knew, Mike had no idea, but it was somewhat of a relief to have someone else in the know. Henry smiled at him again, then tapped a finger on the desk, leaning against it.

"Anyway, I really did want to speak with you regarding your job here," Henry said, "from what I can see of the files, you're now officially the second longest lasting night guard this place has had, since becoming Fazbear's property. Do you know how long this particular iteration has been in business?"

"No," Mike said, "but if I had to guess, I'd say maybe a month?"

"Three," Henry answered, "Scott Matthews was the first night guard here - they removed his body three weeks into operation. Between him and you, this place has gone through a total of  _ thirteen  _ night guards. Thirteen, in approximately nine weeks. Fortunately, almost all of them have simply quit after a time. Whether that be a day or a couple of days. There was one other death, however, the night guard before you. But except for Scott - who I happen to know was a loyal employee for many years before this place - you are the only one who has lasted an entire week. And Pat tells me you haven't resigned yet."

"No," Mike agreed, "and I don't intend to."

"Why?" Henry asked, walking around to sit on the other side of the desk. He leaned forward, steeping his fingers together as he looked at Mike. "I know what they are, Mike.  _ You  _ know what they are. I also happen to know that 'Michael Schmidt' isn't the only fake name you've ever used." At that, Henry reached up and tapped his own forehead. Mike mimicked him and reached up and touched the front of his beanie, swallowing hard. He knew about that, too? "So why did you come back? Why are you staying?"

"I'm not sure you'll believe me, Mr. Emily."

"Henry is fine, and please, try me."

"They're my friends," Mike said bluntly, after only a second of hesitation. To his surprise, that didn't seem to shock Henry. The older man simply nodded and leaned back in the chair, glancing towards the stage.

"Fascinating," Henry said quietly, before looking to Mike again, "how are they, Mike?"

"Uh, well, about as well as can be expected, I guess," Mike answered with a frown, "they have their problems - and this doesn't mean they're safe by any means. I wouldn't introduce someone new to them and expect it to be okay. But when they're not hunting, they do okay." He paused, hesitating, then continued carefully. "The spirits are restless, I think."

"The spirits," Henry muttered, closing his eyes with a grimace. He was quiet for a long moment. Mike had just started to consider shaking the man, when Henry spoke again.

"Here's the thing, Mike. And I'll thank you to keep this between us. I intend to close this restaurant - probably in about two weeks time. It has run its course - there is very little patronage, and the public is generally weary and suspicious of it. It is nothing but a money-sucking relic of the past. I've purchased the company in order to - well. That doesn't matter. What matters is, I don't need this restaurant for my purposes. However, I've no interest in selling it or the beings that live inside it."

"You're going to close it? Abandon it?" Mike asked, alarm making his hairs stand on end. "Henry, you can't do that. You can't just leave them here - they'll wither and rot. Please, you have -" Mike paused, Henry had raised a hand to stop him.

"I want you to take the restaurant," Henry said, "no price - I'll even continue to provide your paycheck. Let the doors close, but continue to visit. Keep taking care of them."

"Oh," Mike said, relaxing back in his chair. He'd been imagining the others - Freddy, Foxy,  _ Bonnie  _ \- withering to pieces like Spring Bonnie was doing. He didn't know much about upkeep of animatronics or buildings, but he'd figure it out, damn it. "Really? I mean, that's kind of you, and I'm not about to argue, but…Why?"

"Like I said, I don't need it. But I've told you, I know what they are - and I wouldn't want to leave them abandoned, either. If you're willing to keep being their friend, to keep caring for them, then I'll leave you to it." Henry paused and smiled. "Besides, in some ways I suppose it's your right. Your father is part of the reason this place exists, after all. So, what do you say?"

"Of course I'll take it. And maybe it seems crass to say, but I'd like that pay, as well. Keeping some income flowing in will make it easier for me to make repairs, if necessary," Mike said. There was no hesitation - if Henry hadn't offered, Mike would have found a way to keep coming, anyway. He wasn't about to abandon his friends.

"I'm glad. Thank you Mike." Henry paused again, then chuckled softly. "It's quite the story we've gotten ourselves tangled in, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Mike agreed, thinking that didn't even begin to cover it, "it sure fucking is."


	12. Springtrap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddy Fazbear's Pizza closes. The animatronics are upset, but in the end, everyone adjusts to the new normal. Three months pass in relative peace - but when that peace breaks, it shatters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: The final scene of this chapter contains descriptive violence and gore. If that bothers you, please proceed with caution, the scene begins when Mike finds the unlocked door. If you don't want to read it or can't, please let me know. I'll be happy to provide a gore-free summary!
> 
> On that note, I'm very excited to present this chapter! The end scene is one of the ones I wrote very early on - I'm glad to finally get here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
> 
> This chapter is the end of part two, but there is still more to come, don't you worry! Thank you as always for all the kindness - I hope you enjoy!

"Guys! Hey, guys! Chill for a minute!" Mike called, voice echoing in the empty Pizzeria as, all at once, the animatronics fell silent and turned to look at him. Mike sighed in relief, then smiled lightly, looking at each of the four in turn.

The very next night following Mike and Henry's discussion, the night guard had called the animatronics together to give them a heads up. It had gone poorly, to say the least. He'd gotten as far as the word 'closing' before they had freaked. As it turns out, four animatronics chattering over each other was an extremely uncomfortable cacophony of noise. The silence now was a vast improvement.

"Thanks. Look, I know this isn't great. I know you guys are gonna miss the kids and the parties, and I'm sorry for that. But, you aren't just going to be abandoned here, either. I'm not going anywhere, I'll still be here almost every night," He told them.

"You're not leaving us, Mike?" Bonnie asked. He was holding his guitar in a tight, fretful grip that had Mike starting to worry about the object's wellbeing.

"No, of course not. I wouldn't have anyway, but I've even gotten permission from the new owner to stick around." Mike moved over, laying a hand on Bonnie's arm. He smiled when he saw the rabbit's grip relax. "It's going to be an adjustment around here, but you guys are going to be okay."

"Do you think they will reopen again?" Freddy asked, "they have before, right? Maybe they just want to remodel."

"I won't say it's impossible that they'll reopen someday, but I doubt it'd be any time soon. I wouldn't hold out too much hope for that, Freddy. Better to expect the worst," Mike answered.

"I'll miss the children so," Chica said softly, and when Mike looked to her, she legitimately looked sad, "it's always so nice to have them about."

"I guess at least I won't be havin' to hide behind me curtain all day anymore," Foxy mused, "that'll be mighty nice."

"There you go, way to look on the bright side, Foxy," Mike said, "guys, I know it's a pretty terrible situation. But, you've got each other, and you've got me. We're all in this together, right?" There were a long few seconds of silence, and then they all looked at him and nodded.

"Aye lad. We all be in this as one," Foxy answered.

* * *

 

Almost exactly two weeks later, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza was closed for good. The building was boarded up and completed with a giant sign hanging on the door stating 'CLOSED - NO TRESPASSING.' Windows were blocked off and, except for the front door, every other entry point was sealed off. Keys were demanded from each employee and destroyed, except for Mike's set - meaning that he was the only one who could get in or out, now.

Mike considered changing up his schedule - after all, without patrons around there was no reason he couldn't come during the day instead. In the end, though, he decided against it. He didn't want to switch things up too much on his friends - who were still adjusting to the closing to begin with. Not to mention, an abandoned building with Freddy's history could become a ripe place for teens and young adults to sneak into - either for the thrill or just for a private place. It actually felt as if the 'security' part of his job mattered more now that the restaurant was closed.

Mike did his best to keep the animatronics' minds off of things. He was sure to spend time with each of them every night, even if that meant leaving later in the morning.

That included, of course, Spring Bonnie. Mike had not forgotten about the older animatronic and was sure to go and read to him at least a little while each night. The golden rabbit wasn't as upset about the closing as the others - not surprising, considering he hadn't seen the restaurant in years anyway. He had been hopeful, however, that it meant Mike would be able to fix him now. Mike had felt terrible when he had to tell Spring Bonnie that he couldn't do it yet, even though the animatronic didn't seem terribly disappointed. But it was true - it just wasn't the right time. For one, Mike had no idea how to fix an animatronic - though, to be fair, he had a feeling that all Spring Bonnie really needed was to be put back into animatronic mode.

The bigger hurdle was the others. Shortly after Freddy's closed its doors, Mike came clean to the other three about their interloper. It had gone poorly - Bonnie had been especially worried, begging Mike to leave the other animatronic alone. He'd only finally acquiesced when Mike had admitted to seeing the other rabbit plenty of times before without harm. It had helped that Freddy vouched for him, promising Bonnie that he was keeping a close eye on things.

"Okay, okay," Bonnie had said, "but if he ever hurts you, Mike, you let me know. Not even that stupid room would stop me then!"

Neither Chica nor Foxy had taken it particularly well, either. Foxy's idea had been to haul Spring Bonnie out of the room and 'make him walk the plank,' though the fox claimed to only be joking when Mike had shot him a look. Mike hadn't been convinced. Chica's worry had been more quiet - she let the others do the protesting, but later Mike would see her avoiding the entrance to Spring Bonnie's room as much as she could.

Mike's intention when he told them about Spring Bonnie was to broach the idea of trying to fix the old animatronic. At their reactions to the news, however, he kept that to himself. They weren't ready - and he couldn't force them into such an uncomfortable situation when Spring Bonnie was more or less okay with where he was. Mike didn't mention the other's hesitation to Spring Bonnie, though. He wasn't sure if it would hurt the rabbit's feelings or not, but it wasn't a risk he wanted to take. Especially because, as it turned out, Spring Bonnie was awfully sensitive.

Charlotte the spider's death had really bothered Spring Bonnie, far more than Mike would have ever expected. The rabbit had asked Mike a dozen different questions about death and what it meant and why did Charlotte have to die, when she hadn't done anything wrong? He wasn't at all reassured by the life of her children - they weren't Charlotte, after all.

The next night, Spring Bonnie had refused to talk to Mike at all. The following, he'd apologized, but had practically begged Mike to please not read him anymore stories where good people died. Mike had found the request surprisingly difficult, especially since Spring Bonnie seemed to prefer children's stories, but he made do. That experience, as well as the time he spent simply reading and talking to Spring Bonnie, taught Mike that the rabbit animatronic was quite the gentle spirit. He liked happy subjects and happy stories and was always sure to ask Mike how he was - even though Spring Bonnie was the one stuck in a room. Over the course of the next three months, Mike became as close with Spring Bonnie - his buddy, as was their personal term of endearment - as with any of the others. He occasionally brought up the idea of fixing Spring Bonnie to the others - but they continued to balk and shudder at the thought. Thankfully, despite it all, Spring Bonnie seemed content to wait.

* * *

 

The next three months passed in relative peace as the remaining tenants of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza settled into a routine. Mike spent a lot of his free time reading up on - and later, practicing - a variety of subjects with two goals in mind. He wanted to be capable of fixing his friends, should any of them come to need repair. He also wanted to be able to keep the building itself in semi-working order. It had never been well kept to start with, but the neglect over those three months began to take its toll.

One day, Mike had entered the pizzaria to find all three of the stage animatronics huddled with Foxy in the small confines of Pirate's Cove. Alarmed, he'd asked what was the matter, only to find out that there'd been a few drops of water on the stage, caused by a leak in the roof. He'd almost laughed - until he realized that they were legitimately terrified. Apparently, he would learn later, water was extremely bad for their sensitive internal workings. The first thing Mike had learned to do, then, was fix ceilings. The patches were rough, but it was at least enough to protect them. He fixed the one in the safe room, as well - which was a much better solution than the simple tarp he'd put up before.

And over those three months, Mike spent a lot of time with his friends - his family, really.

Chica had been hesitant to allow Mike to help her work on her pizza-garbage houses. She had been delighted, however, to have him join her in the kitchen and make his own at a counter nearby. Chica liked to hear about the world outside - she often asked what Mike had done that day. She wanted to know in detail - he spent an hour and a half explaining grocery stores to her, once. He didn't mind it, though. Talking with Chica provided for light, easy topics. Sometimes he'd just watch her build - she didn't mind that either. She was always very careful and focused, and Mike was always sure to praise her on the projects. She seemed to love that.

Foxy loved to tell tall tales, and he was exceedingly good at it. Watching Foxy tell stories was almost like watching a mini play - the fox was dramatic and intense, and Mike thought it was a damn shame that he'd been scrapped from service. Children must have loved those stories - Mike certainly did. Sometimes, they were so over the top that it was practically fantasy. Other times, if not for the fact that Foxy was an animatronic stuck in the building, Mike might have believed the stories actually happened. Foxy never seemed to tire of telling Mike stories - and Mike never missed a chance to listen to them.

Mike did, eventually, challenge Freddy to a skee-ball match. He'd been pretty surprised when the bear actually managed to best him - and Mike had legitimately been trying his best. He learned that when Freddy did something, he always put his best effort in, he never did anything in half measures. Mike also learned that he, himself, was absolutely garbage at skee-ball - he could throw the ball just fine, but most times it hit a corner and tumbled down into the lowest hole. Freddy didn't laugh at his poor attempts, though. Instead, he'd offered to play more often with Mike, which the human had agreed to, even knowing what Freddy really meant to do was train him. After that, his time with Freddy became split. Some days they'd play skee-ball until Mike's arms felt like they might fall off. Other days, they simply wandered the pizzeria - Freddy 'watching,' as he'd put it - and talked. Talking with Freddy was always somewhat of a relief - Mike felt as if they could discuss things deeper and darker than he could discuss with any of the others. They'd spent one night talking about Spring Bonnie, for example, and the strange dichotomy between the gentle rabbit and the suit that'd been used to lure the children. Another time, they'd discussed the kids themselves. As it turned out, Freddy didn't have much more of an idea than Mike about how much life the spirits granted to the animatronics.

"I know that when I think back to the time before, I can remember it. But it is not the same as making memories now. It is more like remembering a movie I once watched - as if seeing life through someone else's eyes. I was not _alive_ then, I do not think. I was not alive until the child came to me. I believe it is the same for the others. But I am not sure that means the potential for life was not already there, either. It is a…confusing subject," Freddy had told him.

It was not uncommon for Bonnie to accompany Mike's visits with the others, although he tended to leave Mike and Freddy be. Bonnie preferred, more than anything, to be near Mike, and so Mike always made sure to make plenty of time for Bonnie. After all, the rabbit had technically been his first friend in the group. They had long conversations of their own - and the topics ranged all across the board. Bonnie was more sensitive to heavier subjects than Freddy, but was still willing to discuss them sometimes. They also spent plenty of time just quietly enjoying each other's company. Often, they could be found in the security office, Bonnie quietly tending to his guitar while Mike read a book on some kind of maintenance work.

In those times when a migraine would assault Mike at work, Bonnie was always the one to stick around and watch over him. He never chased the others away if they were there - but it was Bonnie who would pick Mike up and move him, if it were necessary. Sometimes, the rabbit would even sit with Mike and hold him. Much as Mike cared for them all, he didn't often initiate contact beyond a touch. He would never say it to their faces, but the truth was - through no fault of their own - the animatronics _did_ have a lingering smell that was most noticeable up close. But in those moments when Mike couldn't even think for the pain in his head, he couldn't notice the smell anyway. And there was something comforting about the warm machinery beneath Bonnie's shell, and the way his servos whirled in a mechanic parody of a heartbeat. It was enough to lull Mike into some sense of comfort, where it was just a little easier to wait out the migraines.

In those three months, Mike learned a lot. He learned a little about carpentry, machinery, even some electrical odds and ends. He learned to be completely comfortable around his newfound family, and learned that they were comfortable around him in turn. He learned more about each of them - what they liked, what made them tick. He learned, above all, that he was content. He was _happy._ Despite the limited room and things to do in the withering Pizzeria, Mike could imagine living out the rest of his life, just like this.

* * *

 

It was late-evening on a Monday and Mike's hand hovered over the doorknob as he paused, frowning deeply. It took him a second to realize what had caught his attention - the door to Freddy's was open. Just a small, tiny bit, but it shouldn't have been open at all. The door to Freddy's was always locked - the place wasn't even in business anymore. Mike was the only one ever in or out, and he _never_ forgot to lock the door. It was part of his pattern. It was incredibly alarming - every hair stood on end as he pushed the door open.

He took a quick look around the dining room. Everything was in place and seemed the same as usual. Neatly made tables, dusty but intact prize corner, Foxy's curtain closed and the fox, likely, resting behind it. Or maybe he was in the office. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary - until Mike looked at the main stage.

Mike's eyes caught Freddy's, and his blood ran cold. Freddy was looking at Mike with pitch-black eyes, a look Mike hadn't seen since the break-in - Freddy was angry, maybe even murderous. And, he realized as he looked over, so was Chica. Her eyes were the same color and her beak was hanging open just slightly. He'd never seen Chica so angry - and it was a terrifying sight. What was worse, however, was that Bonnie wasn't looking at him that way - because Bonnie was _gone._

"Guys?" He asked, taking a step towards the stage, trying to grab their attention, "what's going on? What's wrong? Where's Bonnie? " They didn't answer him. They just kept staring at him. Mike turned to check on Foxy, but before he could get to the cove, a horrendous noise echoed through the restaurant. Mike didn't recognize it at first, so foreign was it to the atmosphere. When he finally placed it though, his heart stopped. It was a loud, mechanical whirring noise, harsh in the silence of the restaurant. Mike was almost certain it was a _chainsaw._ Bonnie!

Mike turned and ran for the noise, following it down the hall - turning the wrong way once, because the noise was so loud that it was difficult to make out the exact direction. He corrected his course and rounded the corner into the hallway near Spring Bonnie's door, just in time to see Bonnie's head topple from his body.

"Bonnie!" Mike screamed, stumbling back and bringing a hand to his mouth as he fought against the sudden, violent urge to be sick. He was frozen in place, watching with wide, stricken eyes as the rest of the rabbit's body followed suit - broken and ripped pieces of Bonnie tumbled to the ground.

There was someone else in the hallway, and Mike looked towards them, shaking. The figure lowered the chainsaw, keeping it running but holding it down at his side. Then he turned slightly to face Mike, and Mike's knees gave out, sending him to the ground. He'd have recognized the man anywhere, no matter that the last ten years had left him more gaunt and gray than ever. Mike couldn't see the man's eyes in the darkness, but if he could, he knew he'd be looking into dark blue eyes the same color of his own.

"Dad?" He asked with a croak. William studied him for a second more, then _grinned_ at him, yellowed teeth stretched wide.

"Just hold tight, Mikey-boy," William said, his voice sing-song and just so _wrong_ , "this won't take long. Those other brats will be here soon, and once they get the ol' Billy treatment, this will finally be all over."

As if on cue, a furious, mechanical roar shook the hall. And then, Freddy was there. The bear turned towards William, then lunged at him. Alarmed, Mike launched to his feet and lunged in their direction too. He wasn't even sure exactly who he was trying to stop until he was facing down William, arms outstretched to either side. His father didn't even slow, just gave Mike that same smug look and lifted the chainsaw. He had a mission - and apparently he would run Mike through to complete it.

But the pain Mike felt wasn't that of a chainsaw going through him. Instead, something hit him _hard_ , throwing him against the wall with enough force that he fell to the ground, stunned. He looked out with blurry eyes and stared at the great, furry brown hand that lay in front of him - disconnected from its owner. Freddy had thrown him out of the way - protected him - and it had cost the bear any upper hand he might have had over William.

Just like Bonnie, Freddy was torn into pieces. The chainsaw barely even got hung up in the electronics - it ripped through Freddy in easy strokes.

Mike tried to push himself up, tried to ignore the pain in his body to get to his feet because his friends were in trouble. They _needed_ him. Chica and Foxy would come and meet the same fate if Mike didn't do _something._ But he couldn't get up. Not because he was too injured, but because something was holding him to the ground. A familiar and heavy, moist warmth was suddenly there and covering him - so heavy he could barely fight against it.

 _"Stay still, Mikey. This is not your fight."_ Jeremy's soft voice spoke into his mind. He didn't want to stay still. Didn't Jeremy understand? Why was he keeping him from helping? But even still, Mike did not continue to fight his brother. Instead he lay still, allowing the warmth to stay nestled on top of him.

"They need me," Mike muttered, watching through detached eyes as Chica flung herself into the room, screeching her fury. Tears pricked his eyes as she met the same, messy end.

_"They do not need you now, not yet. Let it happen, Mikey. He knows not what he's doing."_

Foxy was next, although he managed to dodge the first swing of the chainsaw. Mike had a moment of hope that the fast fox would outthink William, that the pirate would put a stop to the carnage. But the second blow hit and tossed Foxy's jaw to the side - soon the rest of him was in pieces on the floor, too.

The whirl of the chainsaw ended and a horrible, heavy silence descended. And then laughter - hysterical, maniacal laughter - filled the hollow air of the hallway. It carried on and on and Mike shivered at the sound - he was certain he felt Jeremy shudder as well.

"Not so tough and frightening now, are you? No, you all are nothing! Lookie here - I win again, and there's nothing you can do about it," William said, his voice light and cheerful. He began to whistle a cheery tune and lifted the chainsaw up to rest on his shoulder. He didn't even glance in Mike's direction - it was as if he'd forgotten Mike was there at all. He turned and began down the hallway towards the exit.

And then, suddenly, the temperature of the room plummeted so low that Mike saw his breath escaping in puffs. It became so cold that even the golden bear's warmth seemed to fade. William must have felt it as well, since he stopped in place. He began to turn and, at the same time, Mike saw four separate figures appear in the hallway.

They were difficult to make out - they were mostly transparent and their forms wavered continuously. But when Mike tried and really focused, he could just see them. Standing there, facing William with hollow eyes, were four ghostly children.

"Why won't you little shits just move on?!" William snarled, clearly having seen them as well. "What the hell are you doing? Stay back!" He continued in alarm, and Mike peered over, watching as William took a few quick steps back. The children were moving, each step a jumpy teleport forward. They were following William, boxing him in, and as they moved towards him, his movements became more afraid, more erratic. He backed closer to the wall, glancing quickly each way, looking for an escape. Then, he turned and ran right into the safe room. The children followed him - Mike didn't understand. Didn't William know the room was a dead end? And it seemed that the children were not blocked from the room in the same way the animatronics were.

 _"We should see this, too,"_ Jeremy said quietly. The hold he had on Mike's limbs lifted, and the guard was able to push himself to his feet. His head ached, but he seemed otherwise intact. Although his body was his own again, he could still feel the heavy dampness of Jeremy's golden suit draped over his shoulders.

Together, they moved into the room.

They came up to stand right behind the children, three of whom were standing at the doorway and looking in. The last of them was following William, who was currently running in circles around the room, trying desperately to find some means of escape. Mike saw the only possibility at the same time William did. William lunged for the Spring Bonnie suit and, with an ease that came from years of practice, managed to open it and slip it on.

Mike watched in horror as William straightened, laughter bubbling out from him. He was no longer afraid of the spirits - he was once again confident and cruel, bundled up in armor of his choosing. The child who'd been chasing him took a step away and that only seemed to embolden William. The man-animatronic took a step forward, all but cackling.

"You see?" He asked, "try all you like, but you cannot best me. _I_ am the nightmare here." He threw his head back, the one intact rabbit ear flopping brokenly, and began to laugh again, the entire suit shaking with it. Mike _hated_ the sight. That body belonged to Spring Bonnie - in Mike's mind, William's presence was defiling the poor, gentle rabbit. He couldn't help but think that this would never have happened if Mike had just switched Spring Bonnie back, given him the ability to control his own body again.

Later, Mike would wonder if Spring Bonnie had the same idea. He would wonder if the springlocks had been worn away by water and time, or if Spring Bonnie had somehow triggered them himself. Either way, a series of loud, gunshot like noises split suddenly through the air. William stiffened - or at least, that's what Mike thought happened at first. In actuality, the Spring Bonnie suit had all at once tightened. It's arms snapped out to the sides, it's legs went rigid, and the head snapped forward and straight - forced back to the center. The jaw snapped shut with a final, audible crunch. And then, William _screamed_ , the noise ripping from his throat and echoing through the room and beyond. Every hair on Mike's body stood straight - he had heard a death scream like that only once before, many years ago in Fredbear's Family Diner.

The rabbit animatronic began to convulse violently, and even in the dark Mike could see blood and viscera begin to spurt and leak from the various holes and joints on the springlock suit. Something dark was pooling and dripping from around Spring Bonnie's eyes in a dark parody of tears. As William's scream faded to nothing, the rabbit animatronic suddenly gave out and collapsed to the floor, still twitching - though less violently than before.

"Hel-l-l-p me-e-e," William's voice was distorted with pain, every word forced and harsh, gurgling with the blood he was certainly choking on. Mike's stomach twisted violently, and again he found himself forcing back bile. When William spoke again, Mike's vision wavered. If not for Jeremy holding him up, he would have collapsed. "Michael-l-l-l, help me-e-e."

Mike was moving before his brain had even caught up. Despite the awful, horrible things he'd done, that was his dad in there, dying so brutally. Some feral part of his mind told him that he had to help. He had to do _something._ A human being was dying in front of him and maybe if he tried - but Mike came to a sudden stop, every limb still and heavy. Stopped in his tracks again by his brother.

_"Leave him to his fate. Leave the room, Mikey. His story is over now."_

"But - that's our dad," Mike whispered, eyes locked onto the suit. It was falling still, the twitches now almost impossible to see in the dark.

_"This is no less than he deserves. It does not matter what else he is - he is, above all, a monster. This is a fitting end. Leave the room."_

Mike knew Jeremy was right. He really did - William Afton deserved this and far more. He himself had fantasized about doing far worse to the man who'd murdered those children. It was fitting punishment. Poetic, even. But it still felt wrong, leaving the man to bleed out and suffer. It felt wrong to hear him beg for help and turn a blind eye.

Suddenly, Mike's body was moving without his permission. It should have been terrifying, but instead he found it almost reassuring. Jeremy's warm, gentle presence had taken control and was steering Mike away, taking the choice out of his hands.

As they walked away, Mike heard another voice speaking. It was halting, broken, but somehow he knew it was someone else - it wasn't William, this time.

"I will k-k-k-keep him, Mike," the voice called, "Lock-k-k-k us away, he will not esc-c-cape me." Spring Bonnie. The thought of the gentle animatronic - Mike's friend, his _buddy_ \- being hoarded away, stuck with only William for company - Mike felt something inside him break. It was more than he could bear. If not for the hold of the golden bear, he would have turned back. But Jeremy did not let him, and soon enough they had left the room entirely. Tears began to run in rivulets down Mike's face when he saw, once again, the animatronic carnage in the hall.

Mike felt something wispy touch his hand and looked down, meeting the eyes of an especially small child, a flowing dress dancing around their knees. He'd seen this one before - the child that was a part of Bonnie. They smiled up at him and gestured at him - Mike felt Jeremy's presence slip from his shoulders, allowing Mike to crouch to the child's level. They reached out once he had and touched his face - or tried, they weren't quite corporeal enough to manage. But the gesture came through, loud and clear. They were wiping his tears away.

"It's okay," they whispered, still smiling at him. They let their hands drift away from him and turned, looking towards Bonnie's decapitated head. They wandered over to it and leaned down to pick it up. Although they couldn't touch Mike, apparently they could touch the animatronics - the head came up easily in their hands. They turned to look at Mike again, still holding the rabbit's head. "It's okay," they said again, softly, "we can fix them - together. Okay? Don't be sad, Mike."

"We can't fix all of them," Mike whispered back, feeling something in his chest breaking all over again. It should be good news - and it _was_ \- but it still hurt to think about his gentle friend, trapped with a murderer's body.

"Not yet," another voice said. Mike looked to his side, meeting the ghostly eyes of another child - a boy, a bit older than Bonnie's child. Mike didn't even consider asking who the boy belonged to - he'd know any part of Freddy, no matter how small. "But maybe someday. Mike? Please don't give up on us. You'll stay, won't you?"

"You have to!" Another little voice all but shouted. A small, thin figure was grasping tightly onto Foxy's fallen hook. "You're our bestest friend!"

"Oh, please don't leave us," another soft, feminine voice said. A little girl was worrying at the apron around her body, staring at Mike with wide eyes.

Mike went to speak, but a sob burst out instead, and he buried his face into his hands. He felt, rather than saw, the children close in around him. They were hovering close, touching without physically touching. Jeremy was there too - a moist paw on Mike's arm. Small, broken fragments of Mike's remaining family. They needed him - they _wanted_ him. He drew in a couple of harsh, shallow breaths. They were right - he couldn't fall apart. He'd come back, he'd fix the animatronics, he'd get them back. And maybe, with their help, he could even figure out a way to save Spring Bonnie. Mike took another breath. He was still crying, but he looked up at the children, feeling a bit more in control of himself.

"I'll come back," He said, voice cracking, "I'll stay. We'll fix them - together. Okay?" There were beaming smiles all around him. Almost as one, the children nodded - for a second, it felt as if they closed in even tighter to Mike. And then they vanished - the cold fled the room as if it'd been spooked. But though he couldn't see them any longer, Mike knew they were still there. He climbed to his feet, shakily.

 _"There is one last task to do before you rest, Mikey,"_ Jeremy said. Mike felt heavier as the golden bear settled, once again, on his back. _"We must board this room up, to be sure nothing can escape it. I will lend you my strength."_

Mike didn't want to board the room up. It felt like a final goodbye to Spring Bonnie - felt a little as if Mike were giving up on his friend. But he didn't protest - in fact, he began to look for things to board the room up with. Spring Bonnie had said it himself, after all. He had told Mike to lock him and William away. And it was not goodbye, Mike decided a bit rebelliously, it was simply 'see you later.'

It took Jeremy and him some time to board the room up. Once they had, Mike stepped back to take a look at their work. It was a makeshift patch job - a combination of old drywall patch, wooden planks, and even some stone they'd scavenged from some of the older parts of the building. It wasn't great, but it was the best they could manage. Mike only hoped it was enough to keep whatever was in the room now, in the room. Jeremy seemed to think it was enough and he finally freed Mike from his hold. It left the guard feeling shaky, as if every bone were made of jelly. But somehow, he managed to leave the restaurant and even make it home.

He sobbed himself to sleep that night, the ragged stuffed Bonnie clasped tight in his arms.


	13. Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike calls on some outside help - and tries his best to hold it all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Very vague, very brief semi-suicidal ideology. It may not even be really noticeable, but please read with caution if that can be a triggering subject for you.
> 
> I didn't intend for this to be its own chapter originally, but once I finished it I realized it should stand in its own. Consider this a bridge chapter between the end of part two and the start of part three.
> 
> Because of that, it's a very short chapter - but I hope you enjoy it all the same! Thanks as always for the kind words.

Despite his reassurances to the ghosts and himself, Mike couldn't make himself return to the pizzeria the next day. In fact, three nights passed before he could bring himself to make the trip. Even then, once he'd walked into the building it took all of his willpower not to turn around and leave again. Without the animatronics active and waiting for him, the atmosphere of the restaurant felt oppressively silent and, ironically, more ominous than ever. There had been some hopeful part of Mike that'd imagined walking into the restaurant to find his friends whole and well again. But no such magic had happened - they'd still laid in parts along the hallway. It was incredibly painful to see them still sitting that way, and in some attempt to make things better, he gathered their pieces up and took them to the stage.

Staring at them there only made the despair he felt stronger, though. He'd been half-training himself to fix minor breakages on the animatronics or even in their system - but this was so far beyond his ability it felt flat out impossible. Fixing them would require an in depth knowledge of animatronics and how they function, something Mike really didn't have. No matter how sure the children had been, it all felt hopeless to Mike.

It took him another day or so of fretting and thinking to consider the possibility. He didn't have the knowledge necessary to fix his friends - but he knew someone who probably did.

Mike had hoped to keep Henry mostly in the dark about what had actually happened - but Henry was so furious with Mike at first that, in the end, he'd spilled  _ almost  _ everything. He told Henry that William had shown up, armed with a chainsaw, and had lured the animatronics and then had ripped them apart. He also ended up telling Henry that William had fled when faced with the ghosts of the children - that Mike had been injured while trying to help the animatronics and had been unable to give chase or stop his father. He told Henry that he didn't know where William had gone - that he didn't even have an idea as to where to start looking for the man.

He did not tell Henry about the safe room or Spring Bonnie. He did not tell Henry that he knew exactly where William was. Mike wasn't sure why he felt the need to lie - nor did he know why the lie came so easily. He decided that, mostly, he was worried for Spring Bonnie - he doubted Henry would report what had happened, but who knew what the man would want to do with the old animatronic and its tag along corpse? Mike didn't want anyone to take Spring Bonnie.

Once he knew the whole story, Henry had calmed down - relieved that Mike had not been the one to destroy the animatronics. Then, he'd told Mike two things. One, that they would need to watch out for William and take extra measures to be sure the man didn't return.

"After all," Henry had said, "it would be a shame for us to go through all this work, just for him to return and destroy your friends again. Although I suppose it could be one way to lure him into a trap - but, no. No, it's not worth the risk to you or them."

Mike had agreed - that was easy. It was a smart idea, after all, and completely unnecessary. As long as the barrier held, William would not be coming back for anything. The second thing Henry had told Mike was that yes, of course he'd help put the animatronics together. And that was all Mike really needed to know.

It took them the better part of four months to put the animatronics back together. It was mostly Henry's work, but Mike watched every step with an eagle eye and helped as much as he was able. With Henry's skill it might have taken considerably less time - if they'd done it Mike's way, which would have involved pretty much living at Freddy's. Unlike Mike, however, Henry had other things to do and an entire life to live - and so he could only spend a few hours at a time at the pizzeria. And, of course, he wasn't available every day. It frustrated Mike to no end, but he shoved those feelings into the deepest pit of his brain. Henry was helping him, without Henry Mike would never have gotten his friends put back together. He couldn't let the other man know anything but gratitude.

Mike still spent most of his time at the pizzeria, even when there was no repair work to be done and Henry wasn't there. He liked to talk to his friends - even if they weren't alive and likely couldn't hear him. He would often just sit with their various pieces and forms, and tell them about his day. He kept the topics light for the more sensitive animatronics, and went into great detail about the mundane tasks he'd completed for Chica. Sometimes he'd wander away with Bonnie or Freddy's head, in order to talk with them about the things bothering him the most. How nightmares plagued his sleep more often than not, how terrified he was that they would never wake up, how shitty he felt these days - as if a heavy gloom had settled on his shoulders and would never go away.

Mike also spent more time than was probably healthy sitting outside of the sealed safe room door. The first few times he'd entered Freddy's after the event, it'd been with dread that he'd find the makeshift door broken away, the thing inside released. But if anything was in there and trying to get out, there was no sign of it - the doorway remained sealed. Eventually he began to relax, although he was sure to never let his guard down completely. It turned into him spending hours sitting in front of the boarded up door, talking in a quiet voice to Spring Bonnie - even though he wouldn't be able to hear Mike through the door.

Once the animatronics were almost completed, Mike insisted on doing the last little bit himself - although he had Henry show him over and over again what he had to do. He had a few reasons for this - one, he had no idea what would happen when the animatronics were complete. If they were aggressive, Mike didn't want Henry in harm's way. Mike was perfectly used to it and, if he were honest, he couldn't dredge up any real dread at the thought of facing his death at the hands of his friends. Two, if they actually woke up, it seemed likely to be a moment Mike would want to share with his friends alone. Three, if it  _ didn't _ work, Mike wasn't sure how he would react - he didn't particularly want an audience. Thankfully, Henry wasn't at all offended. He showed Mike what to do as much as the guard needed, wished him good luck with a warm pat on the shoulder, and had left Mike to it.

The four animatronics were lined up on stage, complete except for a few last connections that Mike would weld together. He stared at them for a long time - hoping with everything he was that this would be the last time he had to stare into cold, lifeless eyes. That was when he felt the temperature drop - not as drastically as before, but it was a noticeable change. He looked around - but although he didn't see the children, he knew they were closer to the world of the living than usual. Feeling bolstered by their presence, Mike began.

He flitted between the four, forging connections one at a time. If they were to come alive, he wanted it to be as close to all at once as he could make it. He knew the animatronics - seeing one of their friends lifeless would bother any one of them. For that same reason, he welded the final connection on Foxy and then Chica last - Freddy or Bonnie would be less bothered if they woke up first. Work completed, Mike stepped back and stood near the end of the stage. He stared. He waited. He hoped.

Servos and motors kicked into life with a whirl - Freddy's head began to move back and forth, eyes blinking in rapid, uneven motions. Mike's heart was in his throat as the other three, one by one, kicked into motion as well. He couldn't breathe -  _ please, please let them be more than robots.  _ Freddy's head turned to look at Mike and the bear blinked again - the movement much smoother. Mike met his gaze, and the two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

"Mike?" Freddy asked, and Mike fell to the ground with a sob.

"Mike!"

"Mike?"

"Lad?!"

The other voices surrounded him, but Mike couldn't respond. He clasped both hands around his mouth and wailed into them, the culmination of everything that had happened in the last four months - the terror, the fear, the pain - ripped through his body in painful waves of too many emotions to name. He felt the ground shake a bit as the animatronics moved in closer to him. Someone lifted him, holding under his arms, and Mike let go of his face to reach out blindly. He wrapped his arms around the first fuzzy forms he felt, and he felt other arms wrap all around him.

The strange little group - four haunted animatronics and their human - held each other tightly for a long, long time. Finally back together - despite it all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited to add: Just a heads up, from here on out, things will stay a bit serious. Themes of trauma, terror, and gore will be much more rampant. Additionally, time will be more wonky. There will be more skips and the time line in this au will VASTLY differ from Canon, now. You'll see what I mean when we get there, but just know that differences from Canon are purposeful. 
> 
> Mostly. A very astute reader pointed out that William did not come off as British. That wasn't a conscious decision - it was more that I just didn't think of it. But now that I have, I realize that neither he nor Mike are British in my head. So, in this AU, you can assume they're not. 
> 
> Thanks as always! Be back soon with the next chapter!


	14. Fazbear's Fright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone should really take away Mike's ability to make important life decisions for himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please mind the time skip!

**_One Year Later_ **

Mike stared up at the building with a nauseous feeling in his stomach. Structurally, it seemed to be sound, but the paint job made it look dilapidated and dangerous. A withered, mean looking Freddy face with glowing green eyes stared down at the entrance, and the sign below it flashed in glitching, broken neon letters. 

_ FAZBEAR'S FRIGHT  _

"Mr. Afton!" Mike turned slightly as a man walked from the building, beaming brightly at him. He came up with a bounding step and thrust a hand out in Mike's direction. Mike took it with a shake, and the man continued. "Thanks so much for coming out! I'm really glad you've decided to come and work with us."

"Uh, yeah, it's nice to see you again, Rick," Mike said, following as the man led him towards the building, "and please, call me Mike." Mike had been using his real name for awhile now, but it still took some getting used to. And being called 'Mr. Afton' hit far too close to home. Of course, he'd told Rick as much a few times - but the younger man didn't seem quite able to get the informality down. It didn't offend Mike, but he hoped if he kept insisting, he could eventually train the younger man to just call him Mike. 

Rick was the owner of the Fazbear's Fright Horror Attraction - a startup Freddy's franchise that, for some insane reason Mike had yet to figure out, Henry had allowed to exist. He'd claimed that the fees would be good for the company, and that the potential to start adding some positivity to their brand couldn't be overlooked. Mike didn't care _that_ much, he owned a building and some animatronics - he did not have any actual say in the company itself. It just seemed tasteless, to him, to open a horror attraction based on some very real, very traumatic incidents. 

 _Yet here I am,_ he thought sardonically. Henry and Rick had invited him to many of their meetings with two express purposes in mind. One, Rick very much wanted someone to play the role of 'Night Guard' in the attraction in order to add to the atmosphere. And hearing that Mike was a _legit Freddy's Night Guard_ had made the man very excited. He'd offered Mike a job on the spot - but Mike had been, understandably, very hesitant. Still, Henry had reassured Mike that he'd still be getting his usual paycheck, on top of what he'd be making at Fazbear's Fright. Mike had decided to accept the position after talking it over in detail with the animatronics. He'd have to change things up and visit Freddy's during the day, but his family hadn't seemed concerned about the switch. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anything to actually worry about - there weren't any animatronics around for the attraction to adopt. Likely, it'd be an easy - maybe even fun - job. 

Their second request had been a much, much harder sell. Rick wanted to salvage things from Mike's location. Henry had jumped in immediately at the subject, reassuring Mike that they'd already discussed how neither the animatronics nor their belongings were to be so much as touched. But Mike had still been very hesitant. He didn't care about the odds and ends - Rick could have decorations, that was fine. But he hadn't been sure how they could pick through the place without riling up the animatronics. More than that, Mike didn't like the idea of a group of strangers in Freddy's. When they'd first pitched the idea, he hadn't known Rick at all. 

Mike and the animatronics were better off now than they'd been a year ago, but they weren't completely healed. Mike doubted they ever would be. He didn't let people come into the pizzeria - the animatronics were still dangerous to any adult but him and, frankly, the idea of having anyone else in the building made his own anxiety spike, too. Henry's suggestion was that Mike give Rick and his crew a set amount of time to pick through the restaurant - during which, Mike and the animatronics would be bundled up in the office, doors closed and cameras off. No one would be able to get in - no one would be able to get out. Mike had to admit it had a solid chance of keeping the animatronics calm, but he'd still refused at first. 

It'd taken two and a half months of weekly meetings for Mike to trust Rick enough to allow him into the restaurant. Not that he trusted him _totally_ , the man was nice enough but sort of slimy, but Mike trusted him _enough._ He'd also gotten permission from the animatronics, although it had made them nervous, too. 

After their meeting at Fazbear's Fright, Mike would lead Rick and his men to the restaurant. He'd go in first, herd the animatronics back into the office, and close the doors. He'd promised Rick and his team an hour, since he doubted the power could keep the doors consistently down for longer than maybe two. Not to mention, all five of them in the small office was an uncomfortable fit. Mike would not be able to watch the cameras - having them on carried a high risk of agitating the animatronics. He had warned Rick - repeatedly, with great stress - that if they were still in the restaurant after an hour, he couldn't guarantee their safety. With the risk of strangers in the building, Mike would not leave the animatronics long enough to sweep the restaurant for left-behinds. He wouldn't get the chance anyway - because if he found anyone, they'd likely be found by an animatronic faster. 

"When your stopwatch hits fifty minutes, gather up your folks and leave. Shut the door behind you. In an hour, I'll be opening up the office and letting the guys out. Do not be in the building. And remember the other rules - don't come near the office, keep as quiet as possible, and please leave the skee-ball machines alone," Mike had said. 

Right in the moment, however, Mike was with Rick in his new standing as a Fazbear's Fright employee. Rick had wanted him to stop by the attraction first, to see the place and get a feel for what Mike's job would require. 

The inside of the building, Mike had to admit, captured the darker side of Freddy's very well. The lighting was dull and flickering, the paint and tile was peeling, the air was thick and poorly ventilated, and there was even an unpleasant pizza-and-vomit stench permeating the air. _Just like home,_ Mike thought with an internal chuckle. 

"Well, what do you think? Pretty cool, right?" Rick asked, beaming at him. It was a bit contagious, and Mike gave him a light smile in return. 

"It's certainly authentic," Mike agreed, "you guys did well on the atmosphere. Did you spend a lot of time at Freddy's as a kid?" 

"Here and there," Rick said, "I was a little older, though, so honestly, it always kind of freaked me out. But, my little sister loved the place when she was young. Freddy was her favorite, actually. She still loves bears."

Mike laughed lightly. He'd have to tell Freddy later - the bear had his fans, but Mike knew it could be a sore subject. People had tended to flock more towards Bonnie and Chica - Freddy would love to hear about someone calling him their favorite. Mike followed as Rick kept walking, pointing out various exhibit rooms and some of the things they'd already salvaged from the even older Freddy's restaurant. Which meant a lot of posters of the toys - that wasn't Mike's favorite detail. 

"This is where you'll be working! We kind of did our own thing with the office - you'll be legit security, after all - but we sort of tried to capture the atmosphere," Rick said. Mike's office was back in the corner of the building, the entrance to the room an open doorway at the end of the hall, right before the exit. There was a big, long panel of glass stretching across the front of the office. Curiously, Mike walked further inside. Yep. He could believe this had been an office at Freddy's. It wasn't the same as either of the ones he'd spent time in, but it had the same sort of idea. It was poorly lit, with a tablet for watching camera feeds. There weren't any doors - but there was a vent, one big one right next to where Mike would be sitting. And it didn't have a grate, of course. It made Mike immediately glad that there wouldn't be animatronics in this place - it would be as easy for them to get into the office here as it'd been in his first location. 

"It's - well, it's an office. Pretty authentic looking - you even got a fan."

"That things vintage!" Rick exclaimed proudly, "Henry let us into one of the old locations - we've already got some stuff from there, as you've seen. Fan included! And, this box of parts and toys!" Mike looked at the fan with a new eye - that meant it was his very own old fan. Not that he would have known on sight - they all looked the same. 

Mike looked over to where Rick was gesturing and immediately scowled, his heart rate kicking up a few notches. It was a box of random parts, but it seemed mostly full of old, empty masks. And Mike would have recognized the plastic assholes anywhere. He went over to the box and scooped out a hollowed out Toy Bonnie mask, and _growled_ down at it. 

"Yeah, how's it feel to be missing your face, you plastic dick?" Mike snarled, making Rick look over at him in alarm. 

"Er, Mr - uhm, Mike…?" 

Mike shook his head and thrust the mask towards Rick. "Put that somewhere else, please. I don't want it looking at me when I'm trying to work - that shit head nearly killed me a couple of times. Not great memories."

"Oh, alright," Rick said, tucking the mask under his arm, "easy thing to take care of! Uh, you know, on that note, feel free to make whatever changes to the office that you want to feel most comfortable. Um, leave some decoration in the office, please, cause we might use it in shows sometimes, but it doesn't all have to stay, and you can move it around."

"Alright, thanks," Mike said with a nod. 

"And I hope you don't mind if I don't give you much of a runaround in terms of your actual duties, yet. The cameras are functional, of course, and we'll need you to keep an eye out for people messing with the exhibits, or stealing, or making out - stuff like that. And of course, we'll be glad to have you get into the spirit of things, you know, do some acting or spooking or whatever. I think there's more specifics about the HVAC system stuff and cameras and all that - but to be honest, I don't know much about that stuff. My other employee - Josh, you'll hear from him later - he's more knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the office. I think he's recording you some training messages. And of course, you'll be able to get a feel for things this week. As I've mentioned, we're not opening until next week."

"Right. Well, that's enough information for me for the moment, then. I'll figure things out this week. I'm curious about the messages, though - do you know about the training messages they used to record? Or did he think to do that on his own?" Mike asked. 

"Oh, we found some super old ones at an old location Henry took us to. Josh was inspired, you know?" Rick answered. Mike wondered about the tapes immediately - were they ones he had heard, once upon a time? Were they entirely different ones? Were they Scott? 

"Anyway!" Rick continued, "that's about it for now - any questions?" He was watching Mike with bright eyes, clearly eager to move on. Mike, on the other hand, was feeling more nervous as they got closer to heading to Freddy's. There was no reason for anything to go wrong - so why was he so sure it would? 

"No, not right now," Mike admitted, "so, I guess we can head to Freddy's now. Your crew ready?" 

"Yup! C'mon, I'll show you the truck, and you can show us the way!" Rick said, pushing open the back door of the attraction and heading out. Mike followed, swallowing back his nervousness. 

* * *

 

"I don' like this, lad."

"I don't love it either - do you know how hot it gets in here when you're all crammed in here like this?" 

"Not what I meant, Mike," Foxy said, his growling voice a bit harsher than normal. Mike nodded and reached up, running a hand along the fox's muzzle in a soothing motion. He regretted teasing Foxy - all four animatronics were nervous, knowing there were people in the restaurant. Mike was too - he couldn't blame them. 

"I know, I'm sorry. It's only for an hour, guys. Then they'll be gone and won't be coming back, alright?" 

"What if they don't leave?" Bonnie asked, tugging at an ear fretfully. Mike reached out, stilling the rabbit's hand - if for no other reason than the fact that the movement was shaking Mike's entire body. It was a tight fit in the room, and to prevent accidental squishing, Mike was perched on Bonnie's lap. 

"They will leave," Mike promised, "and if they don't - well, they've been warned. I wouldn't hold anything that happened against you guys."

"There is no need to fret," Freddy chimed in, shifting slightly. Mike shoved a bit at the bear's elbow to keep it from jabbing him in the side. "Mike trusts this man, isn't that right, Mike?" 

"Of course, I wouldn't have let him anywhere near you guys, otherwise."

"Do you know the others who are with him?" Chica asked softly. 

"No," Mike admitted with a sheepish smile, "but, I still think it's going to be fine. And like I said, if anything happens, they should be the ones afraid - not you guys. Okay?" 

"Fine," Foxy said, "but if anythin' be happening, I'll be stuffin' _ye_ in a suit, just for punishment."

"You wouldn't dare, fox," Mike retorted. Foxy let out a barking pirate's laugh, and Mike grinned in return. 

Mike gave Rick's team an hour and fifteen minutes. He hoped that they were out by the hour mark, as he'd instructed, but he gave them the extra fifteen, just in case. And then, he threw the doors to the office open and let the animatronics out. Mike, Bonnie, and Chica went to the dining room in order to check on the main door. It was shut and locked, just as Mike had asked. There were various bits and pieces missing from the dining room and the halls, but there was still plenty left over. Foxy and Freddy did a sweep of the rest of the restaurant, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they returned to report that it was empty. After which, Freddy immediately set about fixing the place up. Rick's team hadn't made a big mess, but there were things out of place. Which was, as they all knew, one of Freddy's pet peeves. 

Freddy didn't wander too far, though - none of them did, after the initial sweep. A bit spooked by the day's events, they stuck close to Mike and, frankly, the guard was glad they did. He spent the rest of the day telling them about his new job - that he'd be starting that night, in fact. They were curious - Chica especially - about the fake Freddy's and what, exactly, Mike would be doing there. Mostly, he reassured them, again, that he'd be back in two days time. In order to adjust to the new schedule, he would be spending the next day following his first shift sleeping and taking care of any business that needed doing around his home. But after his second shift, he'd come to Freddy's - he'd sleep there, probably - and tell them all about the job. They didn't love that he wouldn't be there the next day - but they didn't argue with him. 

Eventually, the time came for Mike to go home. He wanted to grab a couple of hours of quality sleep before reporting back to the horror attraction. He said goodbye to the animatronics, closed up the restaurant, and headed home.

* * *

 

Mike settled into his chair in the strange, makeshift security office with a sigh. It was his second night on the job, and he was already pretty well over it. The night before had been a bit scary at first. Mostly, because it was a new place with a heavy Freddy's atmosphere - one couldn't help but wonder if something would manage to wander out of the dark - but it had grown boring by the time six rolled around. Because as it turned out, Mike had about three jobs that week. Get used to the layout, cameras, and maintenance panel; make sure no one snuck into the building while it was still closed; and make sure that the ventilation system kept running. It was, apparently, older than dirt and barely worked. It had a habit of turning off every now and then - and, Mike had discovered, the camera feed and audio cues had the same issue. Of course, if those two went out, _fire_ was not a worry. Apparently, Mike's most important job was to make sure the building didn't go up in flames. 

A real concern, according to Josh, who'd mentioned as much over his prerecorded phone call. That being said, it was not nearly as exciting of a job as it might sound. The maintenance panel beeped an alarm, Mike pressed a button, and the problem was solved. It took all of about two seconds of actual work. Mike just hoped it'd be better the following week,  once people were actually visiting and the HVAC system was repaired - something that was a work in progress, he was told. Mike really, really hoped. It's not like he was looking for Freddy's-level nightly excitement, but just sitting there pressing buttons was way too boring for his taste. If the job stayed that way, he probably wouldn't keep it long. 

 _I'll have to ask Foxy for some acting tips,_ Mike mused. He'd probably be doing some, after all, once the attraction opened up. His thoughts were interrupted as the office phone began to ring. He reached over to tap the answer button - he didn't bother with a greeting and, sure enough, it was another recording. He listened to the call with an idle ear, tapping the audio cue button just for shits and giggles. Balloon boy's laugh echoed down the halls. What a fucking trip. _Wonder if they'll get any more sound effects? People are gonna get tired of that little creep real quick._ Mike mused. 

 _"And dude, you're not gonna believe what the boss brought in last night! He found one - a real one!"_ Mike's attention snapped to the phone. Someone was getting fired, was Mike's first stupid thought. Rick had clearly not told this Josh guy making the recordings who Mike was - or that maybe it was a bad idea to mention that _they'd found one._ He had no doubt exactly what 'a one' was, and suddenly he regretted ever feeling bored. 

"What the fuck do you mean, found one?!" Mike snarled at the phone, which continued on, since it was a recording and couldn't hear him. Mike looked to the cameras and began to pan quickly through them, struggling to see anything on their stupid, low-quality feeds. He flashed the light in the vent for good measure, too, relieved when it was empty. Who was it? Where were they? It couldn't be one of his - they'd been safely secured in Freddy's when he'd left there a few hours back. Had one of the toys managed to avoid being scrapped? Had they found one at the other location? That seemed unlikely, given their penchant for _biting_. It'd be difficult to wrangle one long enough to move it. But, not impossible he supposed. It could be Mangle - you could probably hold that one like a snake. Or, fuck, maybe it was Balloon Boy. Mike didn't know if that little fuck's mouth could even move - it likely wouldn't have put up much of a fight. And much as he hated that thing, it'd be easy to deal with. Best case scenario, really. 

"Oh no. No no no no no," Mike whispered, thoughts stopping in their tracks as all traces of any sort of humor fled him. His breath caught in his throat, and he felt his heart start hammering wildly. He'd found who they'd recovered - it wasn't any of his functioning friends and it certainly wasn't a toy animatronic. It - _he_ \- should have been impossible to get to. Mike had never mentioned him because the last he'd checked - the _very night before Rick came_ \- he'd been as securely locked away as he had been for a year and a half. _But why hadn't he checked after they'd left?_ He hadn't even considered it - and Freddy wouldn't have gone near the safe room. He, like the others, was terrified of it. Mike _should have checked._

He was more withered then Mike remembered - there were new holes in his shell and different wires poking out from areas they hadn't before. Even through the shitty feed, Mike could see the many dark stains and splotches on his fur - the remnants of the body undoubtedly still trapped inside of him. He stood in the corner of the room currently on the feed, and he was looking up, eyes staring directly into the camera. As if he knew he was being watched. His mouth was stretched into an eerie, broken smile. As if he not only knew, but relished that he wasn't alone in the building. 

It was Spring Bonnie. Or, more correctly, it was whatever creature now inhabited Spring Bonnie's body. There was something in its appearance, in the way it held itself, especially in the way it was looking at the camera that told Mike that this was, almost certainly, no buddy of his. Mike didn't know what having a soul as black as William's attached to a sentient murder-robot would do - but he had the sinking feeling he was going to find out. 

Mike jumped violently when the camera feed suddenly cut to static. It was back just a few seconds later - but that was all the time it took. Spring Bonnie wasn't there any longer. Thankfully, Mike found him on the very next camera - a room closer. He was definitely heading in the direction of the office. That was exactly where Mike _didn't_ want the withered rabbit. He looked at the buttons in front of him and, in a moment of inspiration, clicked back to the room Spring Bonnie had started in and tapped the audio cue button. Balloon boy's greeting echoed and, sure enough, a moment later Spring Bonnie had moved back into that room. 

 _I have to stay quiet,_ Mike thought, _he follows the audio cues._ They played that game a couple of more times - Spring Bonnie would move and Mike would draw him back to the first room with an audio cue. But then, Mike switched to the room he was trying to keep Spring Bonnie in, only to find the feed distorted and strange. He narrowed his eyes and tried to look closer - only to throw himself back with an alarmed scream. 

 _Something_ had shot out of the monitor at him, screeching all the while, and Mike's force in throwing himself back sent him and his chair crashing to the ground. He curled in on himself, keeping his arms up around his head, waiting for the attack that was sure to come. But, it didn't. Mike opened an eye slowly, only to find that he was still alone in the office. Whatever the thing had been - it'd looked _vaguely_ like Balloon Boy - it was gone. 

Or had it even been there at all? 

Something was beeping in alarm, and Mike pushed himself back up on shaking arms. He didn't bother to right the chair, just went over to the monitor, taking in deep, gulping breaths. Spring Bonnie wasn't in the room any longer. He wasn't in the next room over, either. Mike kept drawing in deep breaths. Why was it so hard to breathe? 

He tried to tap the audio button, hoping that it'd draw Spring Bonnie back from wherever he was. But no audio cue sounded - the button clicked mutely. Mike couldn't _breathe._

The systems. The vents! He fumbled with the tablet, but managed to switch it over to the maintenance screen. That's what was alarming - there was an issue with both the ventilation system and the audio system. Mike tapped the 'reboot all' button and waited for the beeping to start, then switched back to the camera feeds. He rubbed at his eyes, taking another deep breath - futilely, the air was so heavy. Where had Spring Bonnie gone? He couldn't find the animatronic on the cameras. With alarm, he flipped to the vent cameras but, no, Spring Bonnie wasn't in the vent, either. Not even close to Mike - he ducked away and threw the light on in the vent, just to check. 

The beeping stopped, and Mike took a long, deep breath when he felt fresh air start filtering into the room again. He looked up from his cameras - he needed to look away for just a second - and then froze.

Spring Bonnie was standing across from the office, on the other side of the glass, staring at him. His mouth was stretched into a wide grin, and he was resting one hand against the glass. Mike stared back. 

_What the fuck do I do now?_

_" Mic-c-c-hael,"_ A shiver traveled from Mike's head to his toes at the voice. It was Spring Bonnie - but it also wasn't. It was too deep, dripping with too much malevolence and venom. 

"S-spring Bonnie?" Mike asked anyway, hoping beyond every sign otherwise. The rabbit laughed at him, the sound deep and slow and horrific. 

 ** _"_** _No ,"_ it responded. It tilted its head, still staring at Mike. _" I t-t-think Springtrap sounds bet-t-t-ter, don't you, Michael-l? More ap-p-propriate." _

"I - I dunno. I'm, uh, I'm partial to Spring Bonnie. But, hey, it's your name! Uh, Springtrap, huh. That's n-nice too. Nice to, er, meet you?" Mike responded. The chair was rattling beneath him - it took Mike a second to realize it was because of how badly he was shaking. 

 _" Nice," _ the word was a hiss, _" to meet-t you t-t-too, Michael-l." _ Springtrap laughed again, the sound still deep and slow. _" Can't-t-t wait to rip-p-p your ins-sides  _ **_out._ ** _"_  

Mike swallowed hard. So much for making friends. He blindly clicked the camera to a different room nearby and tapped the audio button. He felt a chill when the child's laugh echoed - the button worked again, but would it work on Springtrap now? The rabbit's one intact ear swiveled, pointing down the hallway towards the noise. It laughed again, eyes never leaving Mike. But then, to Mike's surprise and relief, Springtrap turned and began to hobble away. 

But had it actually worked? Or was the rabbit simply playing with him? Mike looked at his cameras again, never keeping his eyes off the rest of the office for more than a few seconds. He attempted to lead Springtrap farther away and, surprisingly, it worked. Eventually, after another audio failure and a camera failure that had Mike mentally screaming the whole time it was down, Springtrap was back in the room he'd started in. 

He stayed there for the rest of the night. And when six rolled around, the rabbit moved over to the wall, sat down, and let itself go limp. Mike didn't believe it for a second. He took a deep breath. It didn't much matter - Mike would leave through the exit closest to the office. As long as he kept eyes on Springtrap until right before running for the door, the animatronic wouldn't catch him. No matter how fast it moved. 

But that didn't mean it wouldn't try. It took Mike a few minutes to gather the courage, minutes he spent staring at Springtrap on the camera. Then, finally, he made a break for it. He ran to the exit, heart pounding so loudly in his ears that he wouldn't be able to hear Springtrap, even if he was following. Mike made it to the door, slipped through it, and slammed it shut behind him. The keys jangled alarmingly as he fumbled with them - but he finally managed to lock the door. Mike panted, staring at the door, when all of a sudden something hit it with a loud BANG. Mike threw himself back, landing on his butt on the ground, and stared up at the - thankfully intact - door. A low, deep laugh sounded from the other side, then faded as footsteps carried Springtrap away. 

Mike took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. Slowly, carefully, he got to his feet, blood still pounding in his ears. He had really, truly thought he'd left this shit behind him. But now, he'd stepped right back into it. And, fuck, he'd be back. It was stupid, suicidal, and all sorts of other words - but he'd come back. Because there was a chance, no matter how slim, that Spring Bonnie was still in there. Because who else could handle this problem but him? Because as long as there was any hint of William still in the world, Mike couldn't help but feel like he was the one who had to deal with it. 

"Mr. Afton! How'd it go?" Rick's cheerful voice called from somewhere behind Mike. 

And Mike's terror turned to fury. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys know how hard it is to move an animatronic from one place to another? The time for this chapter to come out was largely spent with me figuring out how to best to get Springy from Freddy's to Fazbear Fright. I traumatized Mike too much, boy doesn't trust anyone. 
> 
> If you found the first part of this chapter kind of rough - I really apologize. It wasn't the easiest to write and took a lot of editing and re-thinking - but we got where we needed to get. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of this part - so I hope you guys will stick with me and enjoy it just as much!
> 
> Thanks as always for all the love. See you soon!


	15. Night Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are consequences for your actions. Rick contends with Mike's angry side, Mike contends with overprotective animatronics, and for the umpteenth time in his life Mike stares death right in the face.
> 
> He should probably stop tempting it.

"I told you to leave the animatronics alone! What part of that did you conveniently forget when you decided not only to touch one, but to _remove it from the restaurant entirely?!"_ Mike was furious - he was certain if he had half the impatience and strength of an animatronic, Rick would be dead now. The man looked like he knew it, too. He was slouched back against the side of his car and was staring at Mike with wide eyes. Nevermind that Mike was, technically, Rick's employee now. The man was wise enough not to mention that. Mike had his fists clenched - they were shaking at his side. 

"It wasn't with you and the others, and it was just…Sitting there. It couldn't even stand on its own when we tried to stand it up! And I mean, have you seen that thing? It's so ripped up - and it _reeks_. We honestly thought you'd forgotten it was around, maybe didn't even know about it - that's why it was in that weird, unused room - "

"You mean the one you had to break through wooden panels, stones, and plaster to get to?! The _clearly sealed off_ room?!" Mike snapped. Rick looked surprised and shook his head. 

"No! We wouldn't have done that. Part of it was broken or ripped off or something - we were able to go right in," he protested. Mike's blood went cold. Had Spring Bonnie done that in the short time between the last time Mike had checked the room, and the day Rick and his men went scavenging? Mike took a breath - he'd worry about that later. 

"Did you even get a good look at him?" Mike asked, throwing his rant train back on the rails, "didn't you wonder why he smelled so bad?! Did you never think about the fucking rumors your whole business is based off of? Are you seriously telling me you didn't notice _the body inside of him?!"_

"There's a body in that thing?!" 

"You're a fucking moron!" Mike all but roared. He paused for a minute, catching his breath in quick gasps. Rick was staring at him in horror, and Mike made a massive effort to try and rein himself in. _Murder is bad._ He took another breath and pulled a hand through his hair. "And now," He continued, feeling slightly more in control, "You're a moron without a business." He did say slightly. "There's no way in hell you can open that place with him inside it. And now I have to fix your mess - and until I do, no one but me goes in."

"Hold on, you can't do that! We paid good money for that place! We open in less than a week!" Rick protested, standing up straight. Mike shot him a look, feeling oddly vindicated when the man shrank back again. _Idiot._

"I can, and I am. Unless I deal with Spring Bonnie, you're not opening anything. You have a problem with this, you take it up with Henry - and I will too, in fact. I think you'll find he agrees with me." Mike took another deep breath. "Look. I'm not doing this to fuck you over - though you'd certainly deserve it. The animatronic you've drug into your business is incredibly dangerous. My animatronics are dangerous - if you get too close or piss them off. Their cousins from the old place were dangerous - bad news, but predictable. This one? This one is _deadly_ . And, unfortunately for all of us, there's a solid chance he's also _smart_. Unpredictable. He tricked you, after all. Played dead perfectly until you got him moved. Do you realize you're lucky to be alive, Rick? He could have just as easily ripped you apart the moment you approached him. If you enter that place while that animatronic is there, he won't let you go again. I've done this fucking song and dance before - if anyone can fix your mistake, it's me. And that's not ego - it's a fact. But my best chance is if you leave me to it - if I get killed because you let someone go in and I then had to waste precious energy protecting them, I will come back and fucking haunt your ass."

Rick looked as if he were going to give a nervous laugh, and Mike slammed a hand against the roof of the man's car. 

"Not a fucking joke, Rick! I'm one-hundred percent serious. So, you better do your small, very-little-to-ask part to make sure I stay alive. Are we clear?" 

"Is it really that dangerous?" Rick asked. 

" _Yes,"_ Mike hissed in frustration, "do you remember that toy rabbit, Rick? The mask I asked you to move? You see this?" Mike lifted his hair, making sure Rick could see almost all of the scar in its full glory, " _it_ did this. I got too close - during the day, during a _party,_ I might add - and it tried to decapitate me. Took my whole damn frontal lobe out. That same animatronic shattered my shoulder and nearly ripped me apart. My _own Freddy_ came this close to pinching my windpipe together like a paper towel roll. So, when the thing in that building _threatens to rip my insides out_ , I believe it. And it is absolutely, one-hundred percent capable - so I would seriously consider how excited you are to clean up human innards, before you decide to ignore me and let someone in. Have I been clear enough? Do you _fucking_ get it?!"

"Alright, I uh - yeah, okay, okay, I get it. Loud and clear. I won't let any of the other workers in and, you know, we won't even think of opening until it's dealt with."

"Yeah," Mike said darkly, "fucking good plan, Rick. Now get the hell out of here before Spring Bonnie busts out of that building."

"Can it do that?!" 

"I have no fucking idea."

* * *

 

Mike froze in the doorway to Freddy's, moving only as much as he had to, to shut the door behind him. Bonnie and Chica were standing on either side of the door, staring at it, bodies stiff and eyes pitch black. There had been a time when a sight like that would have sent Mike scurrying out of the restaurant. But, now, he knew that they wouldn't hurt _him_ \- no matter how angry they were. Not these days, anyway. 

"Okay guys," He said quietly, "it's alright. Let's calm down, and you can tell me what's wrong, okay?" He moved over to Chica first, and as he did he began to hum gently under his breath. It was his best rendition of Toreador's March. He didn't know all of it, but he'd listened to Freddy's music box enough to know what he did know pretty well. The others found the tone soothing - he hoped it'd help them calm down now. He reached out and took one of Chica's hands, pulling it until her fingers were splayed. Then he began to rub the digits in soothing motions, still humming as he worked. It began to work after not long at all - Chica's eyes began to adjust back to normal. When she looked at him, he knew she was calmer. "There you are Chica," Mike said with a smile. Then, he turned to Bonnie, moving over, beginning to hum again. 

"Your turn, Bon," He said quietly. He reached up, standing up on his tippy toes, and ran a hand along Bonnie's ear in soft, soothing motions. He continued to hum, watching as it worked even quicker on the rabbit. Bonnie's eyes began to change into their normal whites, and the rabbit's body relaxed. "There we are," Mike said, "you guys alright?" 

"Sorry Mike," Chica said, "we -" 

"Mike! The seal on the room is broken!" Bonnie cut in, his voice a nervous whine, "Freddy found it and told us. But we can't find Spring Bonnie. Freddy thinks he must still be in the room, hiding - waiting. Mike! You shouldn't be here - he could really hurt you!" Bonnie was growing anxious again, Mike quickly returned to rubbing the rabbit's ear. 

"No, nope, it's alright," He reassured them, "Spring Bonnie isn't here. I'll explain when I can wrangle the others - but it's safe here, okay? I promise."

"You know for sure?" Bonnie asked. 

"I know for sure," Mike answered confidently. He saw Bonnie relax for good and smiled slightly, stepping away from the rabbit. "Where are Foxy and Freddy?" 

"They're guarding the safe room door - watching in case Spring Bonnie comes out," Chica said. 

"Really?" Mike asked, "aren't they terrified of that spot? Just like the rest of - of us? I'm surprised they're staying so close."

"They are, but Foxy said that, if he's gonna be free anyway, they might as well try and get the jump on him," Bonnie said. That made sense, Mike supposed. He nodded. 

"Alright, well, let me go gather them up. You two stay here, okay?" 

"Okay, Mike."

Mike headed for the safe room, his own skin pricking with unease. He knew Spring Bonnie - Springtrap - definitely wasn't there. Because he knew exactly where the other rabbit _was_. But being near the safe room still made him uneasy, just as it did the others. Foxy and Freddy standing on either side of the door, black-eyed and furious, didn't help ease the tension, either. It also made him feel a bit sick to see the large, torn hole in the seal he and Jeremy had so carefully made. Mike swallowed, then moved towards Foxy. 

Almost immediately, the fox threw his hook out to stop Mike's path, clearly thinking Mike meant to go to the room. Foxy snarled - and when he spoke, his voice was pitched deep and full of static. 

"Far enough, lad," He growled, "don't ye get any closer to that door."

"I won't," Mike said, moving purposefully closer to Foxy. "I'm here for _you_ , Foxy. It's alright, I promise, it's safe - so calm down a notch, okay?" He reached up, petting the fox's muzzle with his fingers. Foxy resisted the calming attempt, at first. But eventually, Mike felt him relax - saw his ears move downward and his eyes turn back. "Easy does it," Mike said, "there's no one in that room, or in the restaurant. It's safe."

"Then where is he?" 

"I'll tell you all in a minute. Let me calm Freddy down, then we'll go to the dining room and I'll tell you guys what's up," Mike said, giving the snout another pat before turning to walk over to Freddy. He walked in front of the bear, stopping to look up at him. Freddy angled his head down to look at Mike in return, eyes black as night. 

"Thank you for protecting us," Mike said softly, "I know it must have been difficult, to face your fear. But it's okay now - the restaurant is safe. We're all safe. So calm down, okay Freddy?" 

"Safe?" Freddy repeated, the word deep and somewhat distorted. Mike only nodded, laying a hand on the bear's arm. 

"Safe. I promise - you trust me, right Freddy?" Mike said. There was nothing for a second, but then Freddy began to relax, eyes shifting. Mike smiled up at him. 

"Of course I do," Freddy responded, "the rabbit isn't here?" 

"No - come on, let's go to the dining room and I'll tell you guys all about it."

The conversation went - well, about as poorly as Mike expected, actually. The animatronics had been relieved to learn that Spring Bonnie wasn't hiding somewhere in their building. They were petrified, however, when Mike sheepishly mentioned that the other rabbit had been picked up by Rick and his crew - and was currently inhabiting Mike's new workplace. 

"You can't go back!" Bonnie exclaimed, once he'd gotten over his shock, "it's too dangerous. You're not going back, right?" 

"'Course he ain't goin' back!" Foxy chimed in, "our Mike's got a good head on 'is shoulders. He ain't no fool."

"Yeah, give him a little credit, Bonnie," Chica agreed, "Right, Mike?" 

Freddy didn't say anything - but he was looking at Mike in that way he often did. Freddy already knew the answer - and a few seconds later, it obviously dawned on Bonnie too. 

"Mike! You can't be serious! He'll kill you!" Bonnie exclaimed. 

"Guys, I have to go back -" 

"No ye don't!" Foxy interrupted, snarling, "I take it back - ye be the biggest fool I know! The only thing ye _have_ to do, lad, is stay here with us. Yer responsibility is to _us,_ to _our_ home. Let the humans deal with their own mistakes!" 

"We wouldn't make it long without you, Mike!" Chica said, "you're our friend - you're our guardian! Without you, we'll wither away - they'll scrap us. And we'd hurt, terribly, if anything happened to you! The others are right - you can't go back."

Mike opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Bonnie was talking again. 

"I'll lock you in your own office, I swear, Mike! You can't go - we can't lose you. I -" 

" ** _Enough._ **" Freddy said, voice deep and commanding. All four of the others, including Mike, froze and turned slightly to look at him. "Let Mike speak," he continued, looking to the guard and nodding. 

"Thank you, Freddy," Mike said. He looked at the others and took a breath. "Guys, believe me, I know it's dangerous. Insanely dangerous. But I need you to understand - I have to try. Spring Bonnie was - he was gentle. He was warm. I know you guys were afraid of him, and I never pushed because I understood. But I knew him - just like I know you guys. I left him in that room because I didn't know what he would become, after what happened. But now he's free. He's free, and we've been slammed back together. It's a second chance for us both. I don't know if Spring Bonnie can be brought back, if he can be somehow saved from whatever has twisted him so badly. But if there's even a chance, I _have_ to try. Because he's my friend. I'd do the same for any of you, in a heartbeat," he paused, grimaced, "and if he can't be helped, then I feel like I'm the one who needs to make sure he goes down. Except for a couple of dead people, I'm the only one who knows enough to even stand a chance. So you see? I have to go back."

The animatronics didn't respond for a long while. Silence stretched out long enough to be uncomfortable, but Mike didn't push them. It was finally Bonnie who spoke. 

"Promise us you'll come back," He said. His voice was soft, quiet, and it wasn't just the rabbit speaking any longer. Mike softened, looking at Bonnie fondly. 

"I can't," He said honestly, "but what I can promise is that I will do my best. My absolute best. I can promise that I'll check in with you all after every shift. And I swear, guys, I'll make sure there is a plan in place, so if I don't make it, you will still be taken care of." 

"Least of our concerns, lad," Foxy said, moving closer, "you just make sure 'n come back to us. Understand? Or this ol' fox will go huntin' for your soul and force it back." Mike smiled, even though he was almost positive that Foxy meant every word. That wouldn't be so bad, though, honestly. There were worse places for his soul to end up, then here with his family. 

"Consider me warned," Mike said warmly. Silence fell over the group again, and he took a breath, pulling himself together. "Now, I need some sleep. I'm heading to the office, but as always, wake me if you need anything."

"Come 'n find us if ye be needin' anything, too," Foxy said. 

"I'll walk with you," Freddy said, "I'd like to do another sweep through the restaurant again, anyway."

"Hey! I was gonna go with Mike!" Bonnie protested. He looked put out when Freddy shot him a look. 

"You can't always hog our guard, Bonnie. I'd like to speak with him more - you can check in on him later," Freddy responded. 

"Anytime you'd like, Bonnie," Mike added with a smile. 

"Oh, fine. I'll come check up on you later Mike!" Bonnie said. Mike nodded his agreement before heading off towards the office, Freddy in step beside him. They hadn't gotten far before the bear spoke. 

"I apologize, Mike," He said. When Mike looked at him, he was surprised to see Freddy fretting with his tie. 

"Apologize? What for?" 

"If I had checked the safe room, we would have known he was gone. You might have, at least, had warning before finding him at your new position. But I was - I don't like that place. I couldn't bring myself to look," Freddy said. 

"Hey, don't worry about it," Mike answered, "I didn't think to look, either. I didn't even think to tell them to leave Spring Bonnie alone, if they wandered across it. They should have anyway - but still. If anyone here is to blame, it's me. It's alright, Freddy. It's not your fault." Mike paused, then stopped walking, giving the bear a harder look. " _It's not your fault,_ okay? Even if something happens - don't carry guilt that doesn't belong to you."

Freddy paused - they were outside of the office. "I will - do my best," He said, "but, it would be better if something does _not_ happen. Get some rest, Mike."

"Yeah. Thanks, Freddy."

* * *

 

Bravado was easy when Mike was surrounded by his family in a place other than Fazbear's Fright. It was very, very difficult in the heat of the moment, though. And Mike was _very much_ in the heat of the moment. 

His body had been trembling lightly since he'd arrived for his third shift. It hadn't helped that, in the end, he hadn't actually managed to sleep much. He'd tried, but nightmares had plagued his dreams and, eventually, he'd given up and spent the rest of the day with the animatronics. When he'd arrived at Fazbear's Fright that evening, he'd stood outside the exit door and debated with himself for a long minute, before finally deciding on a full pell rush into the building. He'd been unaccosted, but it didn't make him feel any better. Springtrap was just keeping Mike on his toes. 

The third night had been rough, so far. Springtrap was far more active - he was moving quickly, giving Mike little time to react and use the audio cues to draw him back. Far worse than that, though, was the fact that Springtrap had made it clear that _he_ decided when to follow the audio cues - he did not _have_ to, evidenced by the times he flat out ignored them. To make matters worse, the maintenance systems were far more touchy. The ventilation was going down - even without something forcing it to - every half hour or so. Mike got about three uses out of the audio cues before they needed to be reboot. And the cameras - well, they just went down. A lot. That was the worst, in Mike's opinion. 

Then, of course, there were the phantoms. That was what he'd started calling the strange, withered apparitions that would show up suddenly, leap out at him, and then vanish - usually causing the ventilation system to crash. They were terrifying and distracting - it seemed no matter how many times they leapt out at Mike, he never got used to it - he'd still scream and throw his arms up to defend himself. Foxy was the worst, in his opinion, with the way it'd show up in his office and just stare at him for some time until finally leaping. Dealing with the phantoms took away precious time he should have been using to track Springtrap. 

It was four am - two hours to go - and Springtrap had already shown up at the glass two separate times. He'd also been making plays for the vents - luckily, those were actually fairly easy to seal off, as long as Mike was paying attention and acted quickly. So far he'd managed it, but as the night went on, Mike got more and more nervous. He was a raw bundle of nerves, jumpy, always trying to brace himself for one of the phantoms. He tried his best to calm himself - being too jumpy could lead to mistakes. 

It was hard to do, though, when he knew it didn't matter much. The truth was, this wasn't actually a game he could win. The question was how long until Springtrap tired of the hunt, and decided to end it? The rabbit had made it clear - anything he did, he did willingly. He was the one calling the shots, not Mike. That was why a metal bat was sitting by the desk - not much use, but it was something. If Springtrap made a real move, Mike wouldn't go down without a fight. 

Mike had - well, it wasn't really a plan. More like an idea of one. He'd play Springtrap's game - and he'd play it well. He'd even give the animatronic all the screams and fear he wanted - they weren't even at all faked. When the time came, though, that Springtrap actually attacked, Mike would do every single thing in his power to try and get through to Spring Bonnie. 

Truth was, it wasn't a great plan, because he didn't have a backup plan for it. If Springtrap got him and Spring Bonnie was unresponsive, then that'd be the end for Mike. Unless he could run the timer out - although, even then there was no guarantee. Most likely, if he were caught and his plan failed, Mike would die. That was the fact that made him continue to play the game - continue to try his best to keep Springtrap away, even if it was futile. Maybe, if he could survive another night, he could solidify his plan. Make it better. 

If. 

A shambling form caught Mike's attention and he quickly lifted the tablet closer to his face. He'd learned that if he ignored the phantom Freddy entirely, it generally just went away. As he glanced away from it, his eyes caught the clock - it was just past five. Almost there. 

Mike cursed as the feed cut out on the camera, hoping it was just one of the blips of static that happened occasionally. He swore again as it cut instead to black - 'Video Error' in red in the corner of the screen. Mike quickly flipped to the maintenance panel and started the reboot for the cameras. It was a bad time of night to lose visuals. Not that there was ever a great time, of course. 

The video was just starting to kick back in when Mike heard it. That low, horrible laughter. And it was very nearby. Knowing with almost certainty what he would see, Mike turned his chair. Sure enough, Springtrap was standing in the doorway to the office, staring into it and right at Mike, the grin stretched tight across his face. Mike swallowed, switched the camera to maintenance mode with the toggle on the ventilation system, and then set the tablet down. He stared back at the withered yellow rabbit. 

"Hey there, Springtrap," Mike said, nudging the bat on the ground slightly with his foot to reassure himself it was still there. 

 _" Hello, Mic-c-chael," _ Springtrap intoned, voice crackling, _" So glad you came back-k-k." _

"Yeah?" Mike asked, "wish I could say the same, but - whoa wait, hold on, I think that's plenty close enough bud!" Springtrap had slid a foot more into the office, but when Mike spoke, he stopped again, tilting his head. Another laugh. 

_" Are you uncomfort-t-table?"  _

"Very."

 **_" Good."_ ** Springtrap replied. He stepped further into the room and Mike shrank back - he wanted to check the clock desperately, but didn't dare take his eyes off of Springtrap for a second. _" This has been quit-t-te  _ **_fun,_ ** _ Michael-l. You are bett-t-ter at this than I expect-t-ted." _ 

"Uh, thanks for the, uh, the compliment?" Mike said, "if you're having so much fun, uh, surely you're not ready to call it quits now, right?" 

Springtrap laughed again, tilting his head the other way, eyes glowing slightly as he stared at Mike. _" I don't-t-t know about that-t-t. I have you right-t here now, af-f-fter all." _ The air was thickening, Mike's breaths were getting heavier - the vents weren't down yet, but they weren't doing well. Of course, it could have just been Mike's fear, too. 

"It doesn't - we don't have to do this," Mike said quietly. It caught Springtrap's attention - the rabbit tilted its head curiously. Bonnie did that a lot too - the similarity between the two made Mike's heart ache. "I don't know who - or what - you are. But, Spring Bonnie is part of you. Spring Bonnie, buddy, you're _here._ I know you are."

" _It's not-t-t ," _ Springtrap said, the words hissing from it, _" I am Springtrap-p-p - there is no one else."  _

"You can't be okay with this," Mike continued, "the Spring Bonnie I know would never do something like this. You're no _killer."_

 _" Enough," _ Springtrap said, taking another step into the room. His head twitched violently, jaw glitching unnaturally. That gave Mike pause - the animatronic was getting angry. He'd touched a nerve. That was what Mike would call a mixed success - an angry Springtrap was hazardous to his health. But if the subject was touchy, that meant Mike might be on to something. _" You are beg-g-ginning to tire me, night guard. I am not int-t-terested in playing _ _with an_ ** _annoyance_** _."_ He moved closer still, and Mike shot to his feet, reaching down to grab the metal bat. He stared up at the animatronic - this close, he could appreciate how _tall_ it was. Springtrap tilted his head the other way, then laughed. " _ Think your little t-t-toy can hurt me-e-e?"  _

Suddenly, the rabbit was even closer, leaning over Mike with his trademark menacing grin. Startled, Mike swung the bat - it connected with Springtrap's hand as the animatronic grabbed it with ease. The rabbit ripped the bat away, and Mike heard it clack along the ground. He swallowed, backing up - but there was nowhere to go. He hit the wall almost immediately. He took a breath and held it when Springtrap reached out and wrapped a hand around Mike's neck. He didn't grip - but the threat was clear. And it was close enough that Mike's heart was fluttering in terror. 

 _" Bore me at-t-t your own risk, Michael. Annoy-y-y me at your own p-p-peril. I could end this g-g-game right now. But there is-s-s still some f-fun to be had." _ Springtrap removed his hand and backed away, eyes glowing slightly as he stared at Mike. _" Do bet-t-ter, night guard. My g-g-enerosity runs low." _And then, miraculously, the rabbit turned and hobbled away. Before long, Mike was alone in the office. He glanced at the clock - six fifteen - and then let himself slip to the ground, legs too shaky to hold him up. 

He'd stared death in the face, and had once again come out the other side. By Springtrap's grace alone, of course, but still. Mike lifted a hand and rubbed his face tiredly. Springtrap was playing with him, always reminding him that the game would end when the animatronic decided. 

And yet. _And yet._

Mike was _right_ . He knew he was right. Springtrap was not one single, malicious entity. Spring Bonnie - the one Mike had known - was still in there somewhere. Was still _himself._ He had to be, or else why would Springtrap have been so bothered by what Mike was saying? Was he really holding back from killing Mike because it was more fun this way? 

Or was something - _someone_ \- stopping him? 

Mike got to his feet - he was still shaky and weak, but his legs were able to hold him again. He began to move for the exit, ears listening for any sign of Springtrap. The animatronic seemed content to let Mike leave again, however, and he made it out of the building with incident. He locked the door behind him, then leaned his forehead against it. 

"Keep fighting, Spring," Mike whispered, "I won't abandon you again, buddy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm pretty sure we're only two chapters from the epilogue - that might change, but I don't think we're more than three away, tops.
> 
> Thanks as always for all the support. I hope you're enjoying this!


	16. Night Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike is determined to keep making progress, no matter how many people try to talk him out of it. Springtrap isn't willing to let go that easily, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: If scenes of physical domination and/or violence can be triggering for you, please read with caution. The scene in question begins when Mike can't find Springtrap, and ends once he's at Freddy's.
> 
> Thanks as always for the support! You guys rock. One more true chapter to go and then the epilogue.

"Damage to or imbalances in the frontal lobe tend to lead to impulsivity," Mike muttered, poking at the scrambled eggs on his plate. He hadn't taken a bite - he couldn't stomach the thought. He was exhausted - it'd been another sleepless day, the nightmares had been unrelenting. They'd lit up his mind every time he got close to actual sleep, leaving him so tired that hunger was the last thing on his mind. "It's like, one of the most common symptoms."

"A flimsy excuse, and you know it," Henry responded. The other man was sitting across from Mike, staring at him, not touching his own food either. Henry had insisted on sharing a meal before Mike went to work that night, undoubtedly chomping at the bit for a chance to tell Mike off. Mike had ended up telling Henry everything that'd happened so far - the man's anger at being left out of the loop regarding William's demise had vanished, and anger on Mike's behalf had taken its place. Of course, that anger was still all in all directed  _ at  _ Mike, so it wasn't much of an improvement. "This goes far beyond impulsivity - I know you have thought about all of this  _ plenty. _ " 

Mike sighed, laying his cheek on his palm and giving the older man a tired look. "Henry, I can't give up on him. What if Springtrap's lying, when he talks about it being fun or whatever? What if he didn't leave me alive because of this - this  _ game  _ of his. What if something is actually stopping him from killing me?" 

"Are you listening to yourself, Mike? Your  _ life  _ is a lot to risk on 'what if.' You don't have to keep putting yourself in harms way, Mike - it'd be easy to fix this for good, you know. Board up all the exits from the outside, and set the place alight. That  _ thing's _ power will only go so far without a physical form," Henry said, leaning forward slightly, "destroying it is really the best plan - Mike, it should have been what was done when William first got snapped in that thing."

"What you would have insisted on doing, which is exactly why I didn't tell you," Mike answered, reaching up to rub an eye. "I'll tell you what I told the others - if there's a chance to help Spring Bonnie, I have to try."

"What have you been doing, then, if not trying for the last two nights?" Henry shot back, "and what have you got to show for it? Exhaustion, nightmares, and at least one near death experience."

"I'm telling you, some part of him  _ listened  _ to me yesterday. It's progress - which is all the proof I need to know I'm right."

"You're going to get yourself killed!" Henry said, raising his voice. He took a second to breathe, but he was glaring at Mike now. "Look at you - I haven't seen such shadows under your eyes since the time your animatronics were broken. You should pay attention to the nightmares that keep you awake, Mike. They're trying to warn you. Even if there is something to save there, you're not going to be able to do anything if you're exhausted and malnourished. If nothing else, you need to get some rest before going back. Take the night off - go cuddle with your animatronics and  _ rest." _

"I don't think I can," Mike admitted, "I didn't get any sleep, even having them around. I'm not sure I'll be able to until this is finished - or until I pass out, I guess."

"What if that happens while you're there?" 

"It won't," Mike muttered, rubbing his face. He wasn't as sure he tried to make it sound, but he wanted the conversation to be over. He knew where Henry was coming from - knew it was a place of worry. And he even knew that Henry was right. Mike was being incredibly stupid - he should just give up and figure out a way to destroy Springtrap. Probably via fire, as Henry had suggested. If nothing else, he should  _ definitely  _ stop going back there. Even if Spring Bonnie were in there somehow, even if he were keeping Springtrap from killing Mike - there was no guarantee of that continuing. If that was what was happening, then all it would take was a lapse in the kinder rabbit's control, and Springtrap would take the opportunity to end Mike. 

But. Mike didn't want to stop. He didn't want to give up. He wanted to keep pushing the issue until it worked, until he got through. Another night, maybe two. That was all he needed, he just knew it. 

"I can't stop you, can I?" Henry asked. Mike felt bad - the man sounded tired. 

"No," Mike answered, with a pause, "I'm sorry, Henry." Henry sighed and rubbed at his forehead. 

"I will be there after your shift tonight. You had better leave that building, Mike. I do not relish the idea of having to brave your restaurant to tell your animatronics that you will not be coming back," Henry said. 

They shared a look, and despite it all, Mike felt a wisp of relief. If nothing else, he was reassured that Henry would do his best to see the other animatronics taken care of in the event of Mike's death. 

"Thank you, Henry."

* * *

 

It was five in the morning, and Mike couldn't find Springtrap. The rabbit was nowhere to be seen - not even a hint of him on any of the camera feeds. He wasn't at the window, wasn't at the doorway - where the  _ hell  _ had he gone? Part of Mike worried that the rabbit might have escaped after all - but he'd been there all night, and he was pretty sure that Springtrap would have already left if it was possible. Which meant he was still in building - but  _ where?  _ Then, Mike heard it. There was a sudden, echoing bang that told Mike exactly where Springtrap was - just as it was too late. 

Something took a strong hold around his ankle and Mike was ripped from his chair - he hit the ground so hard he immediately saw stars. He looked towards his foot - Springtrap was belly crawling out of the vent, keeping a tight hold on Mike's ankle as he moved towards the guard. The movements pulled Springtrap out, and pulled Mike in. Mike yelled in alarm and kicked at the rabbit with his free foot - but he might as well have been kicking a brick wall. Springtrap didn't so much as flinch. 

Mike struggled and bucked as the animatronic moved closer, pulling its body over Mike's, shifting its grip as it went to keep a tight hold on the night guard. Mike fought and yelled and  _ screamed,  _ trying to get Springtrap off - but he had no chance. Springtrap kept him pinned with ease. When the rabbit's face came up level with Mike's own, the guard froze in place. He stared up at it - so close, he could see remnants behind the mask. Sloughing, dead skin and bones were trapped within the metal spring locks behind the eyes. Teeth - human teeth - could be seen clear as day through Springtrap's animatronic mouth. There was a stench - choking and vile - and Mike knew he'd never get it off. 

Not that it mattered. He was dead anyway. Springtrap laughed, the sound more distorted than ever. Though there was no humor, no amusement, in the way the animatronic was looking at him. Mike had no doubt - Springtrap was done playing. Mike felt something against his sides, near his ribs- after a second, he realized it was animatronic fingers. They were digging into him, tightening - Springtrap aimed to make good on his threat of ripping Mike's innards out. Mike let out a gasp - the only sound he could make between the terror and the quickly rising pain. The animatronic was lowering its face, jaws stretching unnaturally wide. Mike could see all of its teeth - he could see its corpse. It was getting closer, ready to tear at his head. Mike reached up, sobbing now, and put hands on both halves of Springtrap's mouth, trying to push him away. The pain in his abdomen was sharp, now. He was babbling without coherent thought. 

"Please, no. Ah! Please -" He might as well have been trying to push water - Springtrap got closer, not at all fazed by Mike's hands. "Springtrap. Spring Bonnie. Please don't do this - please, buddy, please-" The air around his face was humid and vile, the animatronic's breath filling all of the space around him. He felt it as one of Springtrap's fingers dug in too far, broke the skin - he was going to die. 

And then, there was a hard grinding noise and Springtrap stopped. He sat like that for a second, jaws opened wide, the grinding noise still echoing in the room. Then, he pulled his head back, tilting it as he looked away. He growled mechanically, head and face twitching and grimacing. He snapped his jaws once, and there was a low, mechanical grumbling noise - almost as if Springtrap were talking to himself, though Mike couldn't make out the words. Then, suddenly, he looked at Mike again, and after a second, his grin stretched wide.  _ "Luck-k-ky Mich-ch- _ Mike!" He said,  _ "time's up-p-p _ _ ,  _ Buddy!" Mike didn't respond - he couldn't. He couldn't even breathe. He couldn't think. He could only watch, some part of him bewildered, as Springtrap moved away. The rabbit crawled back towards the vent, slipping along Mike. 

Mike screamed when Springtrap suddenly shot back towards him, teeth snapping together centimeters from Mike's face. The animatronic laughed darkly before moving away for real. After an agonizing minute, Springtrap was gone. Mike was alone. He lay there, panting - there wasn't any good air to breathe. The vents. He had to - he couldn't. Mike whimpered, and lay there for a long moment. 

He  _ had  _ to. For the others. Mike began to move, but before he'd gotten far, he rolled over and vomited onto the ground. It wasn't enough - but it was some sort of relief from the pressure building up everywhere in his body. With a bit more energy, he managed to get to his knees, then to his feet - where he wobbled precariously and had to grab onto the desk to keep from falling. Something like a whine escaped him and he went back down to his knees, still clinging to the desk. He looked down at himself - even in the gloomy lightly he could see at least one pinprick of blood blossoming through his shirt. Springtrap had truly meant to disembowel Mike. He had been well on his way - but Mike didn't think it was a life-threatening injury. It didn't feel like one. 

Springtrap had stopped. Again. By force, this time. And the way he'd spoken - it hadn't just been…there was more to it - it meant something - but Mike couldn't think any further than that. Thoughts were slippery - he'd try to focus long enough to think, and within seconds he'd drift away again. 

His head hurt. 

He managed to pull himself back to his feet. He was still unsteady, it took a lot of effort to make his legs work. Slowly and surely, though, he managed to make his way out of the office and, then, out of the building. He leaned heavily against the doorway as he shut and locked the door, then stood there, staring at the metal in front of him. He needed to do - something. What? 

"Mike!" A voice called. Mike turned, surprised to see Henry waiting for him outside of the building. Had he mentioned being there? Maybe, Mike was having trouble remembering. The other man came over, noticeably slowing as he got closer to the night guard. "Jesus, Mike. What is that?" he said with a slight hiss, "let me see."

Mike looked down at himself, then untucked and lifted his shirt. He looked as Henry did. There was a smattering of five bruises - as well as some bruising spreading out from the marks. Two of the marks were deeper than just skin level - blood was welling up through them. Henry crouched slightly, eyeing the marks with critical worry. 

"They don't look too deep - it probably should get looked at, but I don't think it's dire. Your tetanus is up to date?" Henry paused, waiting for Mike's nod - which was a few long seconds in coming. Henry nodded and continued. "By the looks of it, this could have been fatal. Should have been, even - Mike, how did you get away from this?" 

"Spring Bonnie," Mike muttered, and Henry scowled. He was going to say something scathing, but when he looked up at Mike, the older man stopped himself. He looked at Mike for a long few seconds, instead, and then stood. 

"Alright, alright. Let's just - what do you need? The hospital? Home? I'll take you wherever you need to go," Henry said, laying a hand on Mike's shoulder. Mike was pretty sure either of those options was the smarter choice. 

"Freddy's," was his response. He suddenly realized he'd begun to tremble - his whole body was shaking with the tremors. Maybe Freddy's wasn't the right choice, but Mike knew he needed to go there. He  _ wanted  _ to. Desperately. Henry didn't argue, just ushered Mike to his car. 

* * *

 

Mike had never felt this poorly, not even when his shoulder had been obliterated or his frontal lobe bit clean off. Well, that wasn't completely true. The actual pain and recovery from the second had been far worse. But in terms of how he felt inside - the cold fear in his soul, the stuttering thoughts in his head, the detachment from everything - this was by far the worst. 

It took them about half an hour to get from Fazbear's Fright to the pizzeria, and the trembling didn't stop the whole ride - it didn't even ease. His mind had started to catch up to what had happened though - coming free from the shock, he supposed. He felt wide-eyed and wired, but simultaneously so exhausted he could drop dead from it. His head was pounding - he wasn't usually trying to function when it hurt this badly. And every time his thoughts strayed or his eyes closed, his mind was filled with images of Springtrap. Hovering over him, the rotting corpse only inches from his face. The smell. Mike felt stripped to the bone, raw, as if the terror would never fade. He was also jumpy - so sure that if he turned his head too quickly, he'd be beset upon by one of those hallucinations or maybe even Springtrap himself. It didn't seem to matter that Mike wasn't at the attraction any longer, or that the sun was shining brightly. 

Henry watched over him, making sure Mike got into the Freddy's building, before taking off. Just as they had for the last two days, the animatronics rushed to him the instant they saw him. But when they got closer and  _ really _ saw him, they slowed. Bonnie got the closest, putting a hand on Mike' s head as he looked the guard over. There were a long few heartbeats of silence. 

"Oh Mike," Bonnie said, his voice soft, "just look at you."

"I'm," his voice broke, it was hard to form the words to speak, "I'm okay." He wasn't, though, not really. The look the animatronics shared told Mike that they knew it, too. 

"Ye be safe now, lad," Foxy said, "come on in, ye be in good hands here." Mike didn't argue as Bonnie put a hand on his shoulder and steered him further into the restaurant. They took him to the stage, and without being told he turned and sat on the edge. He let his head hang, too tired to lift it and look at the animatronics. He was pretty sure they were still talking - he could hear the rumble of their voices. But it was impossible to keep up with the actual words. His eyes drifted closed, and he didn't fight it - just a minute or two of rest, then he could hold a real conversation. 

He didn't mean to fall asleep - but it didn't matter, because he wasn't asleep long. He shot awake with a scream, the image of phantom foxy fading from his mind - its screech echoed in his ears. Something was holding him still - it took Mike a second to realize it was Bonnie, who'd likely grabbed a hold of him to keep him from falling from the stage in his terror. He looked up at the purple animatronic, panting, and the look Bonnie was giving him told Mike that he must have looked pretty pathetic indeed. 

"You need to  _ rest,"  _ Bonnie said, a worried mechanical whine in his voice. 

"I'm  _ trying,"  _ Mike answered, his voice breaking with the sudden build up of unshed tears, "but I  _ can _ ' _ t _ . They won't let me." Bonnie straightened a bit and looked around. 

"Freddy?" Bonnie asked, "Can you help him?" 

"I can try," came Freddy's deeper response. Mike let out a slight noise of alarm when he felt himself being lifted - he reached out, grasping at Freddy's fur. The bear took Mike's place on the stage, sitting with his legs rested over the side. Then, he pulled Mike close, tucking the human against him until he was being cradled like a child. Mike thought he should be embarrassed, but he couldn't dredge up the energy. Instead he leaned against the bear - the fur covered mechanical shell was the most comfortable thing Mike had ever felt in that moment. Something began to twinkle beneath his ear - it took him a few long seconds to recognize the sound as Freddy's music box. 

It broke him. Mike turned his face into the bear, tears pouring into fur as he began to sob. He hiccuped and snotted and carried on - but he couldn't stop. Every fear, every worry, every pain, and every relief was pouring out of him. Freddy's hold tightened, warm and comforting. The twinkling sound of Toreador March became louder. The others were there too, Mike could feel them hovering close, a barrier of metal and fur protecting Mike from the outside world. 

Mike cried himself to sleep there in Freddy's hold, surrounded by his family. But the bear's music box did the trick - it fought off the nightmares, and for the first time in three days, Mike slept. 

* * *

 

"We cannot stop him, Bonnie," Freddy said, keeping his voice as quiet as he could manage, so as to not disturb the man now sleeping soundly in his arms. Although he had drifted off quickly, it had taken nearly an hour for Mike to actually settle into a sound sleep. But he had, eventually, helped along by the tune of Freddy's music box. The bear didn't dare set the human down though, not even now. Mike needed the rest, Freddy wouldn't risk waking him. 

"Yes we can. You don't have to let go of him - you could hold him for as long as we need. I could bring him food and water - it'd be easy," Bonnie insisted. The other three animatronics were gathered around the stage, talking in low voices and keeping watch over their guard. 

"He would likely resent us forever," Freddy returned. 

"Resentful is a lot better than dead," Bonnie said, "he'd forgive us, eventually."

"You saw how horrid he looks," Chica chimed in, "he may not even want to go back. Maybe he's had enough."

"He will want to return."

"He'll want to go back."

Freddy and Bonnie spoke in unison, both grim. Bonnie continued. 

"As long as he thinks that stu - er, that Spring Bonnie is there, he'll go back. I'd like to remind you that this is the same human who kept returning before, even when all he had to look forward to were the Toys coming for him. And then, even after that fiasco, ended up coming here," Bonnie said, ears angled down in clear frustration. 

"Lad's stubborn, ain't no doubt about that," Foxy said, "for what it's worth, I'm with the rabbit - I say we lock 'im up for awhile and let the problem take care of itself."

"We can't do that to Mike," Chica said, "he's our friend - you can't just lock up your friends when they make you angry."

"It's for his protection!" Bonnie said, too loud. They all paused, eyes on Mike as the human stirred slightly. He drifted back off shortly after, though, and they all relaxed in relief. "It's for his protection," Bonnie repeated, softer, "it's the only thing we can do to protect him. To help him. It's not like we can follow him to that place."

"Bonnie," Freddy said, his tone gentle and even a bit musical. The rabbit let out a mechanical snort and crossed his arms. "Bonnie," He repeated. 

"I know."

"We can't force him to stay."

"I  _ know, _ " the rabbit repeated, "I do, alright? I know. I -" He paused and shook his head. He glanced at Mike, his look fond despite his anger. The others fell silent, all turning to look as well. Each of them wishing there was more they could do. 

But they weren't the only ones there, although they didn't know it. Four little forms stood alongside them, watching the conversation with quiet eyes. The tallest of the children, standing near Freddy, turned to look at his comrades. No words were said, but looks passed between them as they made plans of their own. 

Maybe the animatronics couldn't leave Freddy's. But they could. 


	17. The Final Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All things must come to an end - for better or worse.

Mike stood at the exit door to Fazbear's Fright, staring at the metal. It was nearly time to go in - his mouth was dry and his heart was pounding. No matter what he said to the others - for all his arguing and insistence - he really _didn't_ want to do this any longer. He didn't want to go in, didn't want to see Springtrap. He wanted to turn around and go home - back to the animatronics he adored and trusted and knew. The ones who not only wouldn't hurt him, but also didn't _want_ to hurt him. 

All the same, he felt more prepared now than he had all week. He was more rested - he'd managed a whopping seven hours there, nestled in Freddy's hold. More than he'd managed the past three nights altogether. It'd been just enough to take the worst of the edge off. Mike had felt far calmer when he woke and had even managed to choke back two whole granola bars from his personal stash that he kept at the restaurant. He didn't feel good, but he did feel better. He felt more in control or, at least, he had, up until he'd returned to Fazbear's Fright. 

He was trying desperately to hold on to the small amount of confidence he'd drummed up, because he'd made a decision. He would end this game that night - whatever that might entail. He slipped a finger into his pocket, touching the pack of matches there. He hoped more than anything that he wouldn't need them - but he was wearing thin. He wouldn't be able to come back again - if he even made it through that night. The plan B - born from Henry's suggestion - was necessary. But what Springtrap didn't know was that the game had changed. Mike would not sit idly and wait for the animatronic to come to him. It was over, it _had_ to be over - and it was time Mike faced it head on. 

Well. That's what he was telling himself, anyway. If Freddy's had taught him anything at all, though, it was that fear did stupid things to a human body. And his was still ramped up - just being so close to the building had started the tremors from deep within. There was every possibility he would walk in there, find Springtrap, and immediately freeze - making it easy for the animatronic to tear his insides out. 

Mike shivered. The images from the night before played over in his mind again. It wasn't as if he'd never been so close to death - he'd been in its reach a few times, in the form of glistening teeth and animatronic hands. There wasn't much difference between a hand going for your innards and one wrapped around your neck, in the end. And he couldn't say he hadn't suffered from those experiences, too. Despite trusting them absolutely, Mike still couldn't get too close to the animatronics' teeth without devastating flashbacks. But there was something more sinister, far more mind-numbingly terrifying of being so close to something like Springtrap. It was the corpse, he was pretty sure. It was one thing to know there was once a corpse in an animatronic. It was an entirely different thing to know it - not just a corpse, but the corpse of your own flesh and blood - was still there. To see it. To have it crawl on you - 

Mike shook his head, doing his best to force the thoughts away. He couldn't entirely, but he at least made them quieter. Dwelling on it wouldn't help him. It wouldn't help Spring Bonnie. 

"We're ending this. Tonight. You and me, buddy. One way or another," He muttered to the door, with far more bravado then he felt. He took a breath - and then he took another. And yet a third. And then, finally, he moved forward and unlocked the door. 

He half expected to be immediately assaulted - if Springtrap was as tired of the game as he was, it wasn't impossible that he'd simply strike before Mike - or Spring Bonnie - could stop him. But he wasn't hiding behind the door, or waiting for Mike just inside. He wasn't immediately visible at all and some part of Mike almost wished he had been. Not knowing was almost worse. Mike glanced at the security office, considering slipping in and doing a quick check of the cameras and vents. But then he moved past it, heading down the hallway. 

The air was heavy and uncomfortable. Whatever system kept the vents running during the day - convenient that it seemed to only turn off at night, convenient in the way that only Freddy's locations could be - had certainly turned off. This had to be quick, as quick as Mike could make it. Without him to watch the ventilation, he'd eventually run out of good air. 

Except for during Rick's tour, Mike hadn't really seen the rest of the building. Mostly because, after the first night with Springtrap, he'd been exclusively using the exit door nearest the office to enter and leave. The atmosphere he'd been impressed with before was oppressive now - worse than any other Freddy's he'd been in. Or maybe that was just the knowing that, somewhere in the building, there was a monster out for his blood. Mike kept a hand on the wall as he walked, pausing to look carefully around every corner, heart pounding heavy in his ears as he tried to listen for any noise out of place. He didn't know if the phantoms would be a concern if he wasn't in the office - he hoped not. If one of those leapt for him, that'd be it. It'd be the perfect opportunity for Springtrap and there was no doubt in Mike's mind that the rabbit would take it. 

The sudden noise was a scraping on the wall - animatronic fingers scratching along the stone in order to be heard. Mike only wished it had come from in front of him, instead of from behind him. He froze, knowing that when he turned, Springtrap would be there. The only question was, just how close would he be? Mike swallowed hard, braced himself the best he could, and turned. He was surprised to see the animatronic near the other end of the room - still plenty close enough to be a danger, but not in immediate attacking range. When he saw Mike looking, Springtrap's grin spread wide. 

_" Back again? I mus-s-st say I'm rather s-s-surprised. I t-t-thought you'd have more sens-s-se." _

"Yeah, well, I've been told I'm stubborn," Mike said, pressing a hand firmly against the wall in an effort to keep himself steady. Possibly also to provide a push-off point for a quick getaway. The conversation slipped from him easily, no matter how afraid of the animatronic he was. It was an odd mixture of nervous blather and conscious discussion. 

 _" Not the s-s-s-s word I'd use," _Springtrap replied. 

"Resorting to petty insults now, Springtrap?" Mike asked with far, far more confidence than he actually felt. "You must be losing your touch."

 _"_ ** _Hardly_ ** _,"_ Springtrap hissed, taking a small step forward. _" Come closer Mic-c-chael, and I'll s-show you just how pot-t-tent my touch is." _ Mike backed up further, instead. Enough banter. The air was thickening as they spoke, and Springtrap wouldn't be content to wait much longer. Mike swallowed hard, and he stared at the animatronic. Right into its eyes. Springtrap stared back, head tilting slightly. Now or never. 

"Spring Bonnie, if you don't stop him, he'll kill me," Mike said, hoping that the other animatronic was still a part of all of this, "he'll kill me and I'll be dead. I'll be gone. Just like Charlotte - you remember Charlotte the spider? Remember how senseless and pointless you thought her death was? Are you really going to let him use _your_ body to send me to the same fate? Haven't you had enough of being a sideline to his -" 

"He-e-e can't hear-r-r-r y-y-you," Springtrap interrupted angrily, taking a glitching step towards Mike, _" There is no S-spring Bonnie. I am all t-t-there is.  _

"Shut up," Mike shot back, hairs rising at Springtrap's furious hiss, "yes he can - I _know_ he can. Spring Bonnie, I know you've been fighting him. I can't imagine how hard that has been - but you only need to push a little harder. You're so close - you're almost there. Show him whose body that is!" 

Springtrap began to laugh, low and rumbling and mechanical. He moved towards Mike again, much more quickly this time. Mike scrambled quickly backwards, feeling his confidence fade away. He'd been wrong. Spring Bonnie couldn't hear him - he wasn't there. He couldn't stop whatever it was controlling his body. It'd been Mike's last chance, if Spring Bonnie - 

Springtrap came to a sudden and grinding halt halfway across the room, one foot propped comically in the air. It was still moving towards the ground, but much more slowly, as if he were fighting some unseen force the entire way. The rabbit animatronic began to groan, grinding noises escaping its shell as it tried to keep moving. 

"St-top fighting me-e-e,  _ rabbit," _the animatronic hissed to himself, his good ear twitching wildly, jaw working up and down. 

"This is my-y-y-y bod-d-dy," Springtrap said, and even though the voice seemed just the same, Mike knew it wasn't. He couldn't have said exactly how he knew, but he did. That hadn't been Springtrap - _William_ \- at all. It was Spring Bonnie. "You can't-t-t-t have it anymore. I won't let-t-t you hurt Mik-ke!"

Springtrap's - William's - response was a halting, grinding snarl. Spring Bonnie responded in kind. The withered rabbit animatronic stumbled backwards, every joint spasming as it fought with itself. It's head tilted back violently, the motion unnatural. Its jaws gnashed at the air, and its withered hands rose up, grasping desperately at the two halves of its mouth. It began to pull, and for a second Mike feared Springtrap would actually pull itself apart. Its eyes were lit - brilliant white in the gloom of the attraction. And then it let out a bone-chilling _roar_ that shook the air and the very foundation under their feet. There was nothing mechanical about it - it was guttural and deep and unnatural - Mike shrank back, every hair standing on end. 

Springtrap collapsed suddenly to the ground, a thick, black smog rising up from its body. The cloud of black began to swirl, and then it was shooting around the room in violent, uneven circles. _Some sort of shade_ , Mike thought, and then quickly after, _dad._ He scrambled back more as the black shade flew at him, stopping millimeters from his face. It didn't speak - he doubted it could - but he could feel the malevolence leaking from it in waves. Instinctively Mike lifted his hand and covered his mouth - he didn't know what this thing wanted, but he wasn't going to risk becoming its new puppet. There was a soft, malicious laughter - although Mike couldn't figure out where it actually came from. The shade followed him as he backed away, he _felt_ it as it brushed along his hand and face. 

Mike couldn't breathe - it was _so close_. It filled the air and - no, it wasn't just because of the shade, he realized. The air was too heavy, not only difficult to breathe but also to see through. There was a fire somewhere, and the smoke was beginning to fill the building. Mike hadn't needed his matches after all - it seemed the decrepit ventilation system was plenty capable of burning the place down on its own. Mike thought he should be panicking and trying to leave - but it was difficult to be too worried about the fire. He was much more concerned about the malevolent spirit hovering near his face. Its whole form was slinking closer, and Mike was suddenly sure his instinct had been right. This thing would try to inhabit his body - and he had no idea how to fight it off if it managed to. 

And then, suddenly, five small, bright white lights were there, flitting around Mike's head and filling his vision like brilliant fireflies. The lights were small, but the warmth they put off was all-encompassing and comforting. Mike stared and reached out a hand. He felt a tickle as it passed by one of the ethereal beings. He noticed that the shade drifted away almost immediately, clearly afraid - but it didn't get far. The lights flew from Mike and right at the black cloud. They surrounded it, moved in closer, and then somehow seemed to grab onto it. They began to pull it away, away from Mike and the animatronic and towards the ground. 

Mike couldn't see what happened after that. The air became too bad - too thick with smoke. He moved to the ground and coughed, hard. He tucked his shirt up around his mouth and began to crawl - but he wasn't even completely sure which direction he was moving in. He coughed again, more violently, and tried to blink away the dark spots in his vision. Fire. In the end, it was going to be a fire that took him out. That seemed - well, lame and unfair, frankly. At least dying via animatronic or evil spirit made for an exciting story. 

Then, something was grabbing at Mike. It lifted him up by the back of his shirt, transferred him into a stronger hold, and then it was moving. Mike grabbed out blindly at it, trying to get some kind of purchase. But his hand flopped uselessly against it instead. It didn't seem to matter though - whatever it was seemed to have a good hold on Mike. He was jostled about, though - whatever was moving him was unsteady on its feet. 

The next thing Mike knew, he was shooting awake with a painful gasp. He took in lungfuls of air - much fresher air, although still heavy with smoke - and struggled for a second to push himself up into a sitting position. He was just outside the entrance door of the attraction - or what had been the entrance door, anyway. Wherever the fire had started, it was spreading quickly - the door and the area around it had already collapsed. A loud groaning told Mike that the rest of the building probably wasn't far off. 

He coughed, pulling his shirt up around his mouth and nose, and he crawled back, then managed to get to his feet and put even more distance between himself and the building. Through the rushing of flames and the groaning of suffering structure, Mike heard sirens in the distance. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the building, even as the flames sparked brighter. Spring Bonnie had gotten him out, he just knew it - but the animatronic hadn't been able to leave, himself. He was still in there. 

For a brief, wild moment, Mike considered rushing back in. But he didn't move. He couldn't fool himself - going back in would only add his body to the rubble, once it was over. Instead, he settled into a sitting position on the ground, listening to the approaching sirens. He leaned forward, resting his head on his hands, and just watched. A short while later, his attention was caught by a bright light shooting from the building. It hovered in the air for a second, then moved over to Mike. It grew as it approached him and, once it settled on the ground in front of him, Mike found himself looking at someone he hadn't seen in human form for fourteen years. 

"Jeremy," Mike said, lifting his head. The boy smiled and as Mike reached out for him, Jeremy reached back. Their hands drifted past each other, unable to touch physically, although they both understood the gesture. 

_"Mikey. Are you alright?"_

"Been better, but I think so," Mike answered, "I - thanks. It was you, right? You and the others? You got that thing away from me." 

 _"Away from you, and right down where it belongs."_ Jeremy paused, then settled onto the ground, sitting in a position that mirrored Mike's. _"And we wanted to say - all of us - thank you."_

"For what?" 

 _"The others can finally know real peace. You see, when our father was killed in that suit, I thought it was over then. I thought it was enough. He could not hurt anyone any longer, nor roam free. But it was not enough for the others - they still carried the hurt. The anger. They were more content, yes, but they were still restless. But now, they can feel truly avenged. And that's thanks to you."_ Jeremy paused and smiled. " _You, and Spring Bonnie."_

"Well, it wasn't my intent," Mike said with a sheepish look, "but, I'm glad I could help." He frowned as something occurred to him - he felt his chest constrict with the thought. "Jeremy, if they're at peace, what - I mean, where will they go? What happens now?" _And if they leave,_ he asked himself, _what happens to the animatronics?_

 _"I'm sorry Mikey,"_ Jeremy said, and the look he gave the human said as much, _"I honestly do not know. They could certainly 'move on' if they wanted - I can feel the pull myself. Whether they will or not, I do not know. If they do, I also do not know what that means for the animatronics. I'm sorry I don't have a better answer."_

"It's alright," Mike said, and even though his feelings disagreed he continued, "it doesn't matter anyway. Their happiness and peace is the most important thing. Whatever happens next, I'll just - have to deal with it." It was true, after all. _It was._ Even if it would take him time to come to terms with that. "You said you can feel the pull - what will _you_ do now, Jeremy?" 

 _"I do not think I'm ready to move_ on, _but I think I need to move_ along. _There is a friend of mine out there somewhere, I think I could help her, if she'll let me. I am not sure if we will ever see each other again though, Mikey. At least not while you're in this life."_

"That's kind of what I thought you'd say," Mike said, feeling his face twist into a sad smile, "I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope you can find your own peace. Jeremy - I'll miss you."

Jeremy didn't respond with words, but he didn't need to. He reached out and laid a ghostly hand on Mike's arm. His hand hovered there, and when Mike closed his eyes, he was sure he could almost - almost - feel the hand resting there. When, a minute or two later, Mike opened his eyes again, Jeremy was gone. 

* * *

 

Hours later found Mike standing and staring at the remains of what had been Fazbear's Fright. The fire had not torched everything, but it had brought the building down - leaving behind a pile of charred debris. It felt like some kind of horrible omen, like the wrong kind of cleanse. The end of an Era. The end of his life as he knew it. Spring Bonnie was somewhere in that mess - or, at least, whatever was left of him was. And Mike found no comfort in the thought of going home, either. Because there was every chance that when he got there, he'd find nothing but lifeless robots. In that moment, he felt lost and disoriented and hurt. He wished time could just hold there, in a world of not knowing. It was better than being sure.

Henry stood at his SUV a short distance back, leaning against it as he watched Mike. He'd arrived on the scene shortly after Rick and a while after the firefighters and had stuck around with Mike, watching over him as the younger man had been treated by the EMTs and then had refused an ambulance ride to the hospital. Henry had tried to convince him, but had given up quickly, knowing Mike wasn't going to budge. So instead, Henry had stayed near, even after the authorities and Rick had left. He'd even folded down the back seats of the SUV, knowing what it was Mike was hoping to find. Letting him have that hope, no matter how small. It occurred to Mike that if everything worked out in the worst possible way, Henry would be all he had left. His only friend left in the world. Mike grabbed his wrist in his opposite hand and squeezed, trying to ground himself. Time to look. He could worry about the results later, once they were real. 

Mike brought his elbow up and coughed deeply into it, standing there for a second as the spasms wracked his body. They faded, though, and as soon as they did, Mike was moving. He picked carefully over the building, eyes scanning the debris for any sign of life. He had to strain - putting the fire out and everything related to it had taken some time, but it was still dark out, even if the sun had begun to lighten the horizon. 

"Spring Bonnie?" He called out, "Spring, you in here? Can you hear me?" He circled the ruins of the building, occasionally stepping carefully into the debris in order to move some pieces around. The longer he searched, the harder his heart pounded - preparing itself for the inevitable break. For a long time, there was no response. Eventually Mike found himself standing there again, just staring at what remained. "C'mon Buddy," He said, softer, "come on. I'm here. Show me where you are."

And then, after another too-long minute, there was movement. Mike heard something clatter and spun in place, eyes searching desperately for the source. It took him a few seconds, but he found it - opposite him, near the edge of the debris, something was moving. The debris heaved and shifted with the effort of whatever was below it. Mike hurried over, slipping clumsily over boards and bits and, even though some part of him called a warning, he crouched down in the spot, reaching out to help clear away the bits of building trapping whatever lie beneath. And then, when Mike moved a particularly big wooden board, he came face to face with Spring Bonnie. 

Mike froze, just as the rabbit did. The once-golden animatronic was trapped in the rubble but, considering the fire and all, actually didn't seem too much worse for wear. Mike could see a few scorch marks on the visible fur, and the 'good' ear on Spring Bonnie's head was bent awkwardly. But, there was life in his eyes, and he was staring at Mike. Alive - as alive as the animatronics could be, anyway. For a second, Mike felt his certainty fade. If he'd imagined what he saw, if he was wrong, if this was still Springtrap - 

"Mike!" Spring Bonnie said, and even though the voice sounded the same as it had for the last few nights, Mike knew. He knew without a doubt. Just as Jeremy had said, just as Mike had saw, the darkness that had consumed the rabbit animatronic had been dragged away. And against all odds, Spring Bonnie had survived. Scrappiness in the face of certain death was something they had in common, Mike supposed. 

"Hey buddy," Mike said, voice breaking as relief swept through him in a rush, "there you are - are you alright?" 

"I'm f-f-fine," Spring Bonnie said, shifting slightly, "just a bit-t-t stuck. I couldn't go t-t-through the door, but when the building coll-l-lapsed, the f-fire pretty much went out-t-t. A bit-t of fur might have s-s-singed off, but I'm just f-f-fine." He was quiet for just a second, a pause, but he spoke again before Mike could talk. "Mik-ke, I'm so s-s-sorry. For everyt-t-thing. I -" 

"Hey," Mike interrupted, and then he reached out, laying his hand on Spring Bonnie's head. It wasn't the most pleasant thing he'd ever touched, but Spring Bonnie perked up slightly in appreciation, and that made it worth it. "Don't do that to yourself. It's alright. It wasn't you, not really, I know that. And I also know that you're a big part of the reason I survived this at all. So don't worry about it, okay? Let's just - c'mon bud, let's get you out of this stuff and get the hell out of here, I've had just about enough of this place."

"Where will we g-go?" Spring Bonnie asked, tilting his head in curiosity. 

"Home."

* * *

 

Mike was sure Henry had a lot of complaints about the situation. After all, he only had Mike's word that Spring Bonnie was no longer the killer animatronic afflicted by a kid killer's soul. There was also the little fact that Spring Bonnie still very much had a corpse inside of him, and Mike had to admit that made for an extremely uncomfortable thirty minute drive, seeing as Spring Bonnie was partially curled up in the back of Henry's car. He'd have to offer to have Henry's SUV deep cleaned - although he wasn't completely sure anything would help. But if Henry were even half as bothered as Mike thought he should be, he didn't show it. He didn't complain. He simply drove, while Mike and Spring Bonnie discussed what would happen at the restaurant. 

And when they got to the restaurant and stood together, staring at the door, Henry put a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. Mike felt the same way he had when he'd been staring at the debris of Fazbear Fright. The uncertainty, not knowing if his family would be there or not - it hurt. 

"Are you okay to watch him for a few minutes?" Mike asked, glancing at Henry and then towards the SUV. They hadn't wanted to move Spring Bonnie yet - Mike wasn't sure if the animatronic could move outside of a Freddy's location, but he hadn't wanted to risk short-circuiting the rabbit or something. He and Henry would carry Spring Bonnie in - once Mike knew what was going on inside and, if necessary, had forewarned the others. 

Henry waved a hand and nodded. "Yes, as long as he doesn't try anything - we'll be out here, Mike," he said, the 'if you need us' left unsaid. Mike nodded his agreement, took a breath, and then headed inside. 

He'd thought of two possibilities in all the thinking and brooding and dreading he'd done. He expected either the animatronics to be waiting for him, just the same as always, or else for them to be stuck on stage as lifeless robots. If he'd thought much further beyond that, he might have considered a third possibility. As it was, he thought of it in that second between stepping inside and being lifted off his feet. What if the children's souls had left, leaving only angry footprints behind? What if that had changed the animatronics he knew into something more like the toys? Something unfeeling and thoughtless - _angry_. And when something grabbed him up in a tight hold, Mike froze - suddenly wondering that very thing. 

"Mike! You're okay!" But, of course, it was nothing of the sort. It was just Bonnie, so overtaken by his relief that he'd grabbed the human the instant he walked in. He was hugging Mike close, although even in his excitement he knew better than to hold the man too close to his face. Mike's thoughts fled almost as soon as they'd come, and relief flooded in their place. He beamed widely, reaching out to push slightly against Bonnie's chest. 

"I'm okay, I'm okay! Don't flatten me, Bon!" He said, laughing. If the laughter was a bit hysterical, built up from days of terror and stress and the relief that they were _still here_ , well, neither of them remarked on it. The rabbit acquiesced, setting Mike down and looking at him with his wide-eyed, straight-eared look of happiness. Freed from his hold, Mike looked around, seeing that the other three were close too, looking just as pleased as Bonnie. They were okay - whether the children's souls were still there or not, the animatronics were still themselves. 

" _Are_ you okay?" Freddy asked, moving closer to get a better look at him, "it is good to see you in one piece, at least. But beyond that…?"

"I'm alright," Mike reassured them, "things got a little dicey, to be honest, but it worked out. Things have - they've actually worked out." It felt strange to say it out loud, unbelievable even. 

"So, you're done there?" Chica asked softly, "oh - tell me you are. We've been fretting like mad, thinking of you being there again. I don't think we could take it again, Mike."

"I'm done there," Mike agreed, "the place burned down, actually. And I will have some very strong words to say if Rick tries to rebuild it." He looked over, surprised to hear Foxy cackling. 

"Out with a bang, eh lad?" He asked, "can't say we expected that, but I sure respect it."

"Do I lose credibility if I admit I didn't do it on purpose?" Mike asked wryly, "because I didn't, although I can't say I'm sad to see it go."

"Mike," Freddy rumbled, drawing the human's attention, "if the building is gone, what has happened with…?" The other animatronics went still, looking at Mike as well. 

"He's - he's alright," Mike said, not at all surprised when no one else seemed especially relieved by that, "and he's himself again. It's a long story I'm happy to tell you later, but for now - well. I want to get him in here."

"Mike -" 

"Look, I know," Mike interrupted Freddy, feeling a tad desperate, "I _know_. But after all of this - and he can walk now, so it'd be unfair to ask him to be locked away -" 

"Mike, just -" 

"He's _good_ , he really is. I understand why you're nervous, honestly, and the last thing I want to do is push you guys, but I really think you'd like him if you just gave him a -" Mike cut off, feeling Bonnie's paw settle on top of his head. The hold was gentle but firm. Pointed. 

"Mike," Freddy said, now that the human had given him a chance, "we have discussed this at length, because we knew the possibility that you would succeed existed. I cannot say it will go without a hitch - but go and fetch your friend. We knew you would bring him back, if you could. We will do our best to accept him here. It will be difficult, at first. But if it is for your happiness, we will do our very best."

"Oh," Mike said, surprised. He'd expected more argument, more difficulty - their acquiescence took him off guard. He glanced around at them all, feeling his shoulders slump in relief. "I - thank you, guys. You're the best, I don't think I tell you that enough."

"Aye, ye can say that as often as ye'd like," Foxy said, "never tire of hearin' how great I be." Mike laughed softly, and Bonnie ruffled his hair a bit before taking his hand away. 

"We will go back to the security office," Freddy continued, "so that you can get him - get Spring Bonnie in here without fuss. Once he is in and you are both ready, come and get us one at a time. I cannot say for sure how we will react - but we have been preparing for this since you first told us he was there. I truly think it will be fine, in the end. Slow and steady, right Mike?"

"Slow and steady," Mike parroted in agreement. Freddy nodded and gestured to the others, turning to head towards the office. The others followed him, Bonnie lingering for a second longer to squeeze Mike's shoulder. Mike threw him a quick smile and watched as he went after the others. Then, Mike turned back towards the door. Taking a bracing breath, he walked out, ready to finally bring his wayward friend home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of the main story! We've just got the epilogue left - watch for that in the next day or two. Thanks as always for the support, everyone.


	18. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and the animatronics stand together at the precipice of a new dawn.

Mike reached up, fully intending to fidget with the bow tie again, but pulled his hands back down when Henry gave them a light tap. He was staring at himself in a mirror - gussied up in a deep blue suit, a matching bow tie on his neck and top hat on his head - he looked ridiculous. 

"You look fine," Henry said, as if reading his mind, "very professional, while also being approachable and fun - exactly the image that Fazbear Entertainment tries to project. It is just for the afternoon, Mike. After the grand opening, you can go back to wearing whatever you like."

The grand opening, right. He'd gotten the idea in his head, Henry had indulged him, and here they were two years later - standing at the precipice of yet another Freddy's opening. The name above the door was ' **The Fazbear Family Arcade** .' It did, of course, still offer birthday party discounts, food, and animatronic entertainment - but the building had also been decked out with more game machines and a revamped prize counter. Mike had wanted to separate his business from the average pizzeria - and, more importantly, the company's own past. But now, here in the moment, with the opening itself hardly a half hour away, Mike was having his doubts. 

"This was a mistake, wasn't it, Henry?" Mike asked, the sudden certainty of it settling like a hard stone in his stomach. All the time and money they'd put into this business, and now Mike was positive he couldn't go through with it. To his surprise, though, Henry just laughed softly. The other man reached up and adjusted the top hat on Mike's head. 

"No, not in the least," Henry said. "Of course, we have talked in detail about how this may not work out. It is possible that the company's reputation is simply just too tarnished. But beyond that, you needn't worry so much. The animatronics are in better shape than ever, and the security measures and screens you've put in place for both patrons and employees all but ensure that this is, perhaps, the safest Freddy's location to ever exist. You have done incredible work here, Mike. So no, it is not a mistake at all."

Mike wanted to find relief in Henry's words, but it was difficult. His hesitation must have read clearly on his face, because Henry laughed softly again and clasped Mike's shoulder. Then, he turned him around, away from the mirror and towards the door. 

"There is always a choice, Mike. Even right now - if you truly believe this is a mistake, we can still call this whole thing off. But I think you ought to go and talk with your animatronics. Perhaps they can help reassure you," Henry said. And he was right, Mike knew. So the younger man threw Henry a quick, grateful smile before leaving the room, entering the rest of the Arcade. 

He wandered over to Pirate's Cove first. The size of the smaller attraction had been increased, and the bits and pieces had been whipped up into something glorious. It was no longer just a stage, but a ship, made with soft, safe edges and the illusion of water beneath. Foxy - who was currently dusting at one of the sails - had been fixed up as well. By his request, many of the 'scars' in his fur and shell had remained, although they'd been sealed with clear plastics to protect his insides. His remaining fur had been stripped away and replaced, and his internal components had been fixed and updated. Foxy was in full working order - he'd maintained his edge, but Mike knew it was the sort of edginess the kids would love. 

"Ahoy, captain," Mike called up. It caught the fox's attention, and Foxy turned, then hopped down, landing in front of Mike in a crouch. Mike gave a quick couple of claps, not having to feign awe. Foxy had always been quick, but his recent fixes allowed him to be dexterous and athletic, too. He was easily the most mobile of the animatronics, and he reveled in showing off as much as possible. 

"Ahoy, Mikey!" He greeted in kind, resting his hook carefully on the human's shoulder. 

"You ready for your big debut, captain?" Mike asked. His question made Foxy perk up, his ears sliding as high on his head as they could. His eyepatch flipped open, then shut, a sure sign of excitement. 

"Aye, ye know it, lad," Foxy said, "been waitin' for a day like this for a long time now. Can't say I thought it'd be ye who made it possible - 'least not when I first met ye. Jumpy thing, ye were!" 

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?" Mike asked, grinning slightly. 

"Never," Foxy agreed with a cackle, "sorry lad, it's too fond a memory. O'course, I know better these days. Truth is, ye be plenty brave enough. And now you've gone and done all this for us - ye truly don't know how much it means to these old mechanicals, Mike."

Mike felt the anxiety in his chest loosen a little, and he looked at the fox fondly. He and the animatronics had been content with each other, but performing for children was what they were quite literally made for. There had always been a part of them stagnating without any kids around. Mike couldn't say he wasn't still incredibly nervous - but it helped, a lot, to see how much the Grand Opening meant to Foxy. How much it meant to them all. 

"I'd do anything for you guys, you know," Mike said, "It's good to see you so excited. Remember to give them some time, though. Some of the smaller ones might be a bit spooked by you at first - but I know it won't be long until you're a fan favorite."

"No one can resist this ol' fox's charm for long," Foxy said, "don't you worry none, Mikey. This ain't my first voyage, but it's sure to be my best. Now away with ye lad, I've got to make sure me ship's in tip-top shape."

"Sure thing," Mike said, laughing. He reached out and gave Foxy's muzzle a quick scratch. "Good luck, Foxy. Let me know if you need anything."

"Aye," Foxy agreed, giving Mike a wave before climbing back onto the ship. Mike watched him for a few seconds more, then turned and walked away, heading for the reading corner. 

Of the five animatronics, Spring Bonnie had undergone the most drastic changes and repairs. It'd taken a lot of effort on both Mike and Henry's part - at one point, the animatronic had been mostly in pieces. The first order of business had been to remove the corpse - and that had been the most taxing task, both physically and mentally. It'd ended up being mostly Henry's job, to Mike's guilt. It'd simply been too overwhelming, knowing who that corpse had once been. Henry had been understanding, though, and didn't seem to hold it against Mike. He'd simply worked quickly and efficiently, and once the remains were gone, Mike had tagged back in. 

After that, Spring Bonnie had undergone weeks of repair. It'd involved a lot of work on the inside - cleaning, replacing parts, and even removing the spring locks and his ability to become a suit. They'd stripped his fur entirely, filled in the holes of his shell, and had replaced his fur with new. It was a bit more bright gold than it had been in the old days, but it was a good look for him. In the end, Spring Bonnie looked like a brand new animatronic. And he adored it - once he'd been turned back on and had a chance to see how he looked, he'd grabbed Mike in a tight, grateful hold. He'd also spent days showing off his new look and new parts to anyone unlucky enough to come within earshot. 

In preparation for opening, Mike had created a new area just for Spring Bonnie. They'd settled on the name 'Spring's Reading Corner,' and it was to be the arcade's learning area. It was a separate, small room specifically designed for kids to wander over, sit in a comfy beanbag, and practice reading - using Spring as an audience. It allowed Spring Bonnie time with the kids, let him hear all the stories he wanted, and let the kids practice their skills. Everyone won. That was where Mike found Spring Bonnie now. The animatronic was wandering his little area, straightening the books for the umpteenth time and making sure everything was organized. Mike paused at the entrance to the area, smiling lightly as he watched. 

"Mike!" Spring said, looking over when he heard the human. His ears - both full and functional these days - perked up. He finished straightening up the books he'd been working on, then turned to face Mike completely. "What do you think? Does it look okay in here? Clean enough? Inviting enough? Oh! Does it look comfortable? I like the bean bags you brought in, but do you think the children will?" 

"You're fretting again," Mike said with a smile, stepping in - careful not to step on anything but the floor. Spring Bonnie might be the only animatronic more worried than excited, mirroring Mike's own nervousness. "You don't have to worry, this place looks great. It's going to be  _ super  _ inviting to tired kids looking for somewhere to settle in - and to parents looking for a good place to put their younger ones. Your books are very nicely organized, everything is clean, and believe me - I took a nap in one of those bean bags, they're perfect. It's going to go just fine, Spring. People are gonna love you."

"Will they?" Spring Bonnie asked, one ear lowering slightly, "do you really think so? It's been so long, Mike. Years and years since I've so much as seen a child - what if I mess up? What if I do something wrong? What if they're scared of me, or think I'm boring, or something? What if -" 

"Spring," Mike interrupted, gesturing at the rabbit to come closer. Spring Bonnie paused, then moved towards Mike, leaning forward. Mike reached out and adjusted the purple bow tie at the animatronic's neck, then stretched up to lay a hand on Spring Bonnie's head. "If you need anything, or anything goes wrong, you just let me know. I'll be here, and so will the others. But nothing is going to go wrong. The kids will adore you, I promise. Okay?" 

Spring Bonnie was quiet for a second, but then nodded, prompting Mike to take his hand away. "Okay," He agreed. 

"Okay," Mike repeated, "are you going to be alright? You don't have to rush into this either, you know. If you'd rather, we can wait a day or two to open your area. It'd give you some time to get used to a full restaurant -" 

"No!" Spring interrupted, "no. I'm nervous, but, you're right, it's going to be okay. Better to just get on with it - once the kids are here, I'm sure it's going to be wonderful. I don't think waiting will help. I'll be alright Mike - I really will."

"I know," Mike told him, smiling, "I just want to make sure you know it, too. I have to go and check on the others - you good?" 

"I'm good," Spring Bonnie agreed, "thank you, Mike."

"Hey, you got it. Anytime, bud. Remember - if you need anything, just come and find me," Mike said, giving Spring Bonnie's arm one more quick squeeze before turning and leaving the reading corner. 

The other three animatronics had needed the least amount of work of all. Mike had been maintaining them this entire time, after all. Still, once he'd had the tools and time, he'd done some more intense work on them. In Mike's opinion, they'd never looked so good. Their fur was clean and fresh, plush and inviting. Their movements were smooth, and their voice boxes were fresh. Henry had even managed to upgrade their repertoire of pre-programmed songs - using some that the animatronics had come up with themselves. They'd all - including Spring and Foxy - been outfitted with an enhanced version of the criminal database scanning the toys had once possessed. Of course, in the design, Henry had been very sure to make it so they would bring any concerns to Mike - not deal with it themselves, unless someone was in immediate danger. Mike knew that, regardless, they would likely still be much more touchy at night - but it should ensure that they were perfectly docile during the day. 

Bonnie, Freddy, and Chica were already standing on stage, talking amongst themselves. They turned to look at Mike as he climbed up on stage with them, though. The human smiled and wandered between the three, without speaking. He adjusted Bonnie's guitar sling, flipping a section that had twisted back to right. He reached up to adjust Freddy's top hat, making sure it sat perfectly atop the bear's head. He turned Chica's cupcake so the friendly face was looking out towards the audience. Then he stepped away from them again, took a breath, and looked at them. 

"Well, it's just about time. Are you guys ready? How're you feeling?" Mike asked. 

"I have never been more ready for anything in my life," Bonnie said, giving a guitar string a quick flick, "I am ready to rock! I can't wait to show everyone all the new songs we've learned." 

"I just want to see children again," Chica said, "I hope there's a lot of them. This place was always the best when it was just packed full of kids."

"What about you?" Freddy asked him, "how are  _ you _ feeling?" Mike found himself smiling - the bear had always been good, maybe even the best, at reading him. It was hard to slip anything past Freddy Fazbear. 

"Nervous," Mike admitted, "I'm worried it won't work out. Or that something will go wrong. It's hard not to be - no offense to any of you, but this company doesn't have a great track record. I can make all the changes I want, but sometimes it's not that easy to shake off a curse."

"Do you trust us?" Freddy asked. 

"Of course," the words came from Mike easily. And it was true, he didn't trust anyone as much as he trusted the animatronics. It wasn't that they didn't have their triggers - they all did, Mike included. But he trusted them absolutely, regardless. He had for a long time, now. They were his family, and he was pretty sure he knew them better than he even knew himself. There was very little about them that ever surprised him, these days. 

"Then trust us on this - it will all be fine," Freddy responded, "things have never been in such good hands. I can understand your nervousness, but believe me when I say - it's okay. Whatever comes, it will be okay. It will work out, I truly believe that - but even if it does not, things will still be okay."

"After all," Bonnie added, "you've got us! And we've got you. And haven't you always told us that, in the end, that's all that matters?" 

Mike looked between the three animatronics for a few long seconds, then felt a relaxed smile cross his face. As if their words were magic, Mike felt a lot of the remaining tension and uncertainty fade away. Not all of it - but a lot of it. Freddy nodded, watching it happen, then gestured at the human. Mike crossed over to him, as Chica and Bonnie closed in, and a second later he was being enveloped in a group hug, an animatronic on each side of him. Mike closed his eyes for a long minute, simply enjoying the embrace. Finally, he stepped back. 

"You're absolutely right. Thanks, guys," Mike said. 

"Anytime!" Bonnie said, "but for now, go on, Mike - someone's gotta let all those kids in!" 

Mike laughed, feeling some of Bonnie's enthusiasm spread to him. He nodded, gave his family one last look, and then turned. He hopped off the stage and crossed the room, paused at the door, adjusted his tie one last time, and then stepped through. 

It was time for their Grand Opening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! With this epilogue, the story is officially complete.
> 
> There may be more to come, though. I won't make any promises right now - because my muse is a tricky thing and now that this one is complete, they may fall off the face of the planet. But we'll just have to see!
> 
> For now, thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your support. No matter what form it comes in - even if it's just reading. I really enjoyed writing this, but knowing people out there were enjoying it made it an even better experience. 
> 
> I'll see you all on the flip-side. 
> 
> End_Transmission


	19. Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick announcement!

Hey all! Hope you're doing well. I just wanted to let you know that this work officially has a sequel! It's called 'Family Circus,' and the two works are part of a series, so you should be able to find a link from this page fairly easily. 

I just wanted to put a note here, specifically for anyone who might be interested in a sequel but has only subscribed to this story.

Thanks again for everything! :)


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